


Nigrum Sanguis

by WarrynSparklegem



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Blade of Marmora Keith (Voltron), First Kiss, Flashbacks, Hurt Lance (Voltron), Injured Lance (Voltron), M/M, Mating Bond, Pining Keith (Voltron), Poison, Self-Sacrifice, Space Dad Shiro (Voltron), Supportive Shiro (Voltron), Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2019-07-02 21:34:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 53,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15805014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WarrynSparklegem/pseuds/WarrynSparklegem
Summary: During a mission, Lance is wounded while protecting Keith. However, there is more to the injury than initially thought, and the Paladins will have to act fast if they are to save Lance's life in time. Keith also has to deal with his feelings, but can he before he loses Lance forever? (Takes place during Season 4 before the finale. I do not own VLD! DreamWorks has that honour.)





	1. Sacrifice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My friend requested a Gay Fic, so here it is! She's been really upset recently, so I put my other story idea aside to make way for this one first (I'm such a good friend! :D ). As you can probably tell, this will contain Klance (which is my personal favourite out of all the Voltron ships). I am currently on half term (woohoo!) but I also have to revise for some upcoming exams as well );  
> Anyway, I hope that you all enjoy this as much as you did Mercy. On with the Klance!

Keith has never felt so excited before!

Well, maybe he did when Shiro returned to Earth, but apart from that, this was the most excited he had ever felt.

Keith missed everyone while he was with the Blades of Marmora. He missed Pidge's great ideas and snarky wit. He missed Hunk's food and (sometimes overbearing, but always adorable) kindness. He missed how stern and inspiring Allura was, and how comical and caring Coran was. He missed Shiro's wise advice and soft voice. He also missed how encouraging and comforting his brother was, but he was happy knowing that Shiro was alive and leading Voltron as he is meant to.

Heck, Keith even missed Lance!

Keith never thought that there would be a day where he would willingly admit that he missed how stupid and annoying Lance was, but now thinking of the Cuban would bring a small, genuine smile to his face. Recently, Keith had been finding it harder to stop thinking about Lance ( _not that I ever thought about him in the first place!_ ), about his dazzling smiles and sea-blue eyes. He couldn't stop thinking about his long, lanky limbs or his infectious laughs. He couldn't stop thinking about his adorable faded freckles - all twenty-eight of them - and how he just wanted to lean up to that beautiful tanned face and -

_NO! Bad Keith, down!_

Quiznack! This was becoming more of a regular occurrence ever since he left the Castle! Keith gripped his hair and groaned as he tried to block images of the Blue Paladin from his mind. He could also tell, without the use of a mirror, that his cheeks were blushing a furious crimson.

_Why can't I stop thinking about him?_

"Keith?" Keith jumped at the sudden knock on his door and released his head to face it.

"We're getting ready to leave now." Kolivan said from the other side of the bedroom door.

"Okay." Keith managed to stammer out with a non-conspicuous steady voice. At least, he thought it was non-conspicuous since Kolivan left without any further words.

As the heavy footsteps faded away, Keith made sure that he had all of his gear, including his mask and his blade, which were required for the mission. But all the while. He couldn't help but worry that something bad was going to happen...

* * *

The transition from the Blade's base to the Castle was incredibly jarring and strange. Where the base was occupied by shadows and purple light, the Castle was engulfed in bright, blue lights and thrummed with life. There was never a time when the Castle didn't seem to glow with its gorgeous quintessence.

Everyone had been waiting at the main entrance for him. As soon as Keith set foot off the pod, he was immediately assaulted by a warm, crushing hug from a crying Hunk.

"I missed you too buddy." He managed to gasp out while patting the Yellow Paladin's back.

A smaller mass latched itself on to Keith's exposed back. He looked down and saw Pidge grinning up at him, hugging him like a koala on a tree.

"Welcome back Keith."

Shiro and Lance joined the hug wherever they could.

"It's good to have you back Keith." Shiro smiled warmly.

"Yeah, I was starting to get bored without teasing you, mullet!" Lance teased.

Keith rolled his eyes, hoping desperately that he was successfully resisting the urge to blush.

* * *

Shiro and Kolivan were going through the plans on the Castle's bridge. Their mission was simple; go in to a battle cruiser, free the prisoners, download their database and induce enough damage to put the ship out of commission. Allura, Hunk and a few of the other Blades would escort Matt and Pidge to the main console where they can keep an eye on the infiltrating team and protect them. At the same time, they would download information about missions, operations and prisoners; the last one in particular was most important to them.

Matt looked different from the last time Keith had seen him. He'd met the Commander's son at the Kerberos launch pad while bidding Shiro farewell. Back then, Matt hadn't been so tall and his hair hadn't been so long. Actually, he also had a few new scars too. His eyes, however, were still bright with determination. At least his spirit was still intact. It made Keith so happy to see Pidge reunited with her older brother. Surely it couldn't be too long before Commander Holt was found too.

On the infiltrating team, Shiro would lead Lance, Keith and some other Blades to the cells and free the prisoners. Kolivan and the rest of the Blades would provide distractions outside with Coran in the Castle.

At some point during the meeting, Keith's gaze had wandered towards Lance, who was watching Shiro and Kolivan attentively. This serious side was one that Keith would never have associated with the Cuban at the beginning. Back when they had all first come together, Lance seemed to have possessed very little focus during meetings, and he would always laugh and joke around. Lance had just been annoying and obnoxious! But after some time, Lance's cheesy humour would even make Keith smile sometimes, and always giggle on the inside. Lance was one of the few people in the whole Universe who could make him feel so...happy.

Then Shiro disappeared and Keith became the Black Paladin. Lance then became more than just the team's ( _not my!_ ) goofball; he became their support. And that wasn't the only time either. After Keith's Galran heritage had been revealed, Lance still went around teasing his mullet and goading him into competitions like normal. Of course, he had been shocked and surprised initially - just like the other Paladins - but his behaviour towards Keith never changed in the slightest.

" _Sorry man. It's just so hard to be afraid and angry when you're related to a race of big, fluffy, purple Space cats! But hey, at least you're still our angry mulletted emo."_

Gosh. It was no wonder that Keith was in love with him.

...

_Wait...LOVE!? Since when did I say I was in love with him!?_

Keith quickly snapped his gaze back to Shiro and Kolivan who just announced that mission would commence in one varga. Keith swiftly flew from the room to the training deck to get his thoughts sorted out.

* * *

Keith had only been training for about 15 dobashes when he received company. They made their presence known when they shot a Gladiator that was rushing at Keith from behind. Keith turned to defend himself, but stared at the bot as a gaping hole sizzled and smoked in its head. It fell to reveal Lance stood in the doorway, sniping rifle primed at his shoulder.

"I thought you could handle yourself Samurai." Lance smirked as he sauntered up Keith, who folded his arms with a huff.

"I was handling it just fine." He glared in reply.

"Uh huh." Lance raised a sceptical eyebrow.

Come to think of it, Lance was taller now as well. Lance used to be only half-an-inch taller, but now, despite being nine months younger, he was five inches taller.

_Wow. He really has grown up._

Keith wasn't really in a mood to argue, so he invited Lance to join him in training instead.

"Ugh, if you insist." Lance moaned. Keith would have believed his displeasure if his eyes hadn't twinkled in delight.

The two managed to obliterate Gladiators all the way up to level 16. In that time, Keith and Lance exchanged competitive compliments and laughed whenever Lance stumbled on his feet. Keith found this odd since Lance was so much better at training. Why was he stumbling around? Actually, he looked fairly distracted too. Strange...

It wasn't too long before everyone was ordered to move to their starting positions. Shiro, Keith and some of his fellow Blades clambered in to the Red Lion's belly while Lance raced into the head. The flight was fast, but there were no crashes or bumps. Keith was pleased that Lance had improved at piloting Red, but he still couldn't shake off his bad feeling...

* * *

Shiro was opening the cells with his Galran hand while the Blades directed and helped the prisoners to the nearby escape pods. Keith and Lance stood guard at the entrance. Lance knelt on one knee a few feet in front of Keith, his rifle primed and gaze focused forwards. Keith's breath was silent behind his mask as he stared down the corridor in anticipation. His knife was already transformed into a sword and hanging by his side in a tight grip. It didn't take long for the sentries to pile around the corner and rush forwards to attack them.

"ENEMIES INBOUND!" Lance yelled at the top of his lungs right before the sound of running footsteps was drowned out by the sounds of gunshots.

Keith raced forwards to slash his enemies down. Metal parts and wires went flying throughout the hallway. Some of the Blades moved from the cells to help keep up the defensive forces. In the corners of his eyes, Keith could see sentries falling to gunshots; it brought him great safety and comfort to know that Lance was watching his back.

"How are you doing?" He shouted towards the cells.

"Just a few more left." Shiro replied, speeding up his progress.

When the swarm of sentries had been reduced to only a few, Keith allowed himself to relax. This, of course, was a huge mistake.

Lance screamed from behind Keith before a sickening set of thuds were heard. Keith twirled around to see Lance collapsed on the floor, struggling to stand up on his shaking limbs. Stood just a short distance away was a Druid with its hand stretched out towards the fallen Paladin. Electricity was still crackling at its fingertips as it turned from Lance to Keith.

Keith resisted the urge to step back and instead raised his sword to prepare for an attack. He leapt forward with a roar and swung his blade towards the Druid's neck, but it disappeared in a haze of smoke before the blade landed a blow. Keith glanced all around him to see where the Druid was but could not find it.

"Keith! Behind you!" Lance howled.

Keith whirled around to see six glowing yellow eyes right up in his face. Before he had the chance to react, the Druid swiped his blade out of his hand and shoved him backwards. The blade turned back in to a knife in a flash of purple light and skidded across the floor, further away from his reach. Keith then felt himself being launched through the air and into the wall. He slid down to the floor with a loud thud that he could only just hear over the ringing in his ears. He shook his head to clear the blurriness from his vision. As soon as his sight was clear, he wished for it to be blurry again, for there, towering above him, was the Druid with a blade in its hand.

The blade looked similar to his Marmora one, except that the metal was blacker and there were no symbols. There were also smaller blades protruding from the main blade, designed to dig in to the body to prevent its removal. This weapon was designed to kill, and Keith was its target.

Keith hadn't felt this scared when the Gladiators had been infected by the Galran Crystal's venom and mercilessly attacked him. Back then, he had a weapon and was not backed into a corner. He also knew how the Gladiators worked; Druids were unpredictable. As Keith sat beneath the Druid, he shivered at the face of his inevitable death. He could only sit there petrified and watch the Druid raise the blade above its head, ready to swing it down.

In those few moments before his death, Keith scrunched his eyes shut and grieved. He grieved for the life that he wished for, but would never now have. He was about to lose all chances of him finding his mother or spending more time with his Space family. He would never taste another one of Hunk's amazing meals. He would never help the team prank Allura or Coran ever again. He would never help Pidge tease people or feel the warmth of one of Shiro's hugs. And Lance...he would never tell Lance just how much he means to him, how much he-

All thought stopped when he heard the sound of metal slicing through the air and heard a repulsive squelch as it buried itself in flesh.

Except that there was no pain.

Keith squinted upwards and gasped at the sight before him.

Lance was stood in front of Keith, arms outstretched to make himself a larger shield. His body was hunched slightly and soft gasps could be heard. There was also another sound. Something was dripping. When Keith looked towards the source, he discovered a small puddle of blood that slowly stretched out like vines. Blood. Lance was bleeding!

"Lance!" Keith choked out, scrambling to his knees as Lance's body toppled over.

Keith wrapped his arms around Lance's waist and looked around to find the Druid, but it had disappeared again. Instead of hunting it further, he settled Lance more securely in his arms, one supporting his head and the other wrapped around the body. As he inspected the Paladin for wounds, he saw the knife nestled in Lance's stomach, just underneath his white breastplate. Blood poured out from around the blade with every breath Lance drew in. Lance's face didn't look much better. His face had turned ashen disturbingly quickly and his eyebrows were scrunched in discomfort. Nevertheless, he was able to speak.

"Are you okay Keith?" He managed to groan.

"Why are you asking me that!?" Keith demanded. "You're the one with a knife in the stomach!"

Lance was able to laugh weakly, but it was followed by some wet coughing. A bead of blood trickled slowly from the corner of his mouth. Keith began to panic. His arms began to quiver, which in turn shook Lance and jostled the blade, causing him to hiss.

"SHIRO!" Keith cried, his distress as bold as the blood on the floor. "SHIRO!"

Shiro raced out of the cells and froze when he saw Lance in Keith's arms. His hesitation was only momentarily, and he soon glided to his knees.

"Lance?" He inquired.

Lance managed to blink blearily.

"Hey Shiro." He puffed in reply. "Did you get everyone out?"

"Yeah." Shiro reassured him gently. "They're all in escape pods heading towards the Castle. We can all head back now."

Shiro moved to support Lance, then paused and looked up at Keith.

"Do you think we should remove the knife?" He asked.

Keith shook his head: "The knife had smaller blades coming off of it. They'll resist any attempt to pull the knife out, and it'll probably cause even more damage."

Shiro sighed, but conceded anyway. Then he looked down at Lance and apologised for the pain and discomfort he was about to cause. Keith leaned back to let Shiro lift the injured Paladin in to his arms. Lance whined in agony as his body moved, and Shiro mumbled an apology. Keith moved in front to scoop up his fallen blade and led the others towards the hangar where Red was stood. Shiro leapt in behind the Blades with Lance's shivering body held tightly towards him.

"You'll have to pilot Red Keith." Shiro stated.

Keith opened his mouth to protest, but Shiro interrupted him first.

"Lance is injured and none of us can pilot her Keith. You're the only one who can get us back to the Castle quickly. Now hurry!"

Keith only nodded and ran up Red's ramp towards her cockpit. He felt a surge of nostalgia rise in him, but he squashed it down and settled in to the pilot's seat.

A warm sensation of happiness filled his mind as Red purred in happiness at having her Paladin back.

 _"I have missed you terribly, my cub."_ She hummed.

"I missed you too Red." Keith whispered, "But Lance is injured and we need to get back to Castle as quickly as we can."

Red said that she understood and already knew of the urgency of their situation. With little urging, she pounced into the air and dashed towards the Castle as quickly as she could while still giving her passengers a steady ride. Keith just kept his eyes on the Castle and manoeuvred around every obstacle. He did not engage in any unnecessary fights. After all, Lance did not have that kind of time.

_Stupid idiot! Why did you do that!?_

Keith sniffled lightly as he approached the Castle, and prayed to every deity he knew of that Lance would be fine.

* * *

Everyone was huddled in the infirmary as Shiro helped Coran attend to Lance. The Cuban was laid flat on the table, conscious and quivering. His armour had already been removed and Coran was cutting away at the material surrounding the blade. Pidge was stood next to Hunk, practically curling into his side. Matt was holding her tightly around the shoulders while maintaining a calm composure. Hunk had his hands up at his face, attempting to repress his worried whimpers. Allura was programming a cryopod at the back of the room and Keith was stood near Lance's head. Once Coran had removed enough material, he began to bark out commands.

"Number One, Number Four, I'm going to need you to hold him still." His voice was stern and sympathetic.

With a heavy heart, Keith laid himself over Lance's upper half while Shiro held down his legs. Coran firmly gripped the blade's handle and paused long enough to say "I'm sorry Lance." before tearing out the knife in one pull.

The movement was accompanied by a spray of blood and a gruesome squelch. Lance's body immediately tensed as he shrieked in agony. His body convulsed and his eyes squeezed shut, forcing tears to trickle down his cheeks. Coran steadily pressed a large cloth to the now profusely-bleeding wound.

"Is the pod almost ready Princess?" He asked.

"Just a few more ticks!" Allura replied.

"Just a few more ticks." Keith repeated quietly to Lance who sobbed in between rough gasps.

Coran turned to look at the injured boy. He felt great sorrow for this human child who had become very much like his own son. His wife and child had both been lost when Altea was destroyed and Lance reminded the Royal Advisor of his son in many ways; they both shared the same happiness and spirit. Coran remembered the day when Lance had called him their 'Crazy Space Uncle'. Even now Lance would use it. Knowing how strongly Lance thought of him as family made him almost forget his grief and feel thankful to the Universe for bringing such a bright and beautiful boy to him.

And now that same boy was laid here, his bright skin paling every passing second. His skin no longer shined with a glowing tan; instead it sparkled with sweat and tears. Those radiant eyes were now hooded as Lance strained to see what was going on around him. Coran's gaze moved from the eyes to the wound. The cloth in his hands was now stained black. Coran scrunched his nose in disgust. If he ever found the Druid that did this, he would make sure that they lived to regret it.

Wait...

Black stains?

"That's not right." Coran muttered quietly to himself. Shiro and Keith were close enough to hear the passing comment.

"What's not right?" Shiro demanded loudly.

Instead of immediately replying, Coran moved the cloth away from the wound and began to tear the black jumpsuit more. What they discovered made all of their hearts drop in fear. Black tendrils were spreading across Lance's stomach, all stemming from the wound. Coran realised that the lines mimicked the layout of a human's circulatory system. Shiro cursed while Keith barely contained a horrified gasp.

"What the Hell is that!?" Keith choked out.

Allura, Hunk and Pidge all gathered round to inspect the cause of the commotion. Hunk took one look and sobbed loudly before shoving some Blades out of the way to fall before the closest trash can. Pidge followed instantaneously to comfort him and avoid having to look at the wound. Matt also joined them and whispered as many comforts to them as he could.

"Poison." Allura whispered darkly.

"Indeed." Coran agreed in a similar tone. "But I have never seen a venom such as this before."

"Let me see." Kolivan demanded, stepping closer. Coran stepped aside to allow the Blades' leader to inspect the wound. The Galra took one look and growled something that sounded like a curse. "I think I know what this may be, but I'll have to inspect the blade first before jumping to any conclusions. Just keep his wound wrapped until then."

Shiro handed Kolivan the blade, and he was led by Allura to the labs. Pidge leapt up to follow while Hunk hobbled behind supported by Matt. Meanwhile, Shiro and Keith gently lifted Lance's abdomen so that Coran could securely wrap thick gauze around his waist. All the time, Lance was whimpering quietly. After he was settled back down, Shiro left to join Kolivan. Coran moved away to find a needle to procure a blood sample to help with identifying the poison. Keith remained by Lance's side, gently holding his icy hand.

"You'll be fine Lance." He whispered to Lance, who was beginning to fall asleep. "You'll be fine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keith: Why do all say that you love Lance when you also hurt him at the same time!?  
> Warryn: ...  
> Keith: ... (Glaring at me)  
> Warryn: Why do you say that you don't love Lance when you most definitely do?  
> Keith: (Splutters indignantly)  
> Warryn: You see! This is the only way to get you to admit your undying love for him!  
> (Crickets)  
> Warryn: Oops. I just spoiled... -_-"
> 
> Anyhow, I am also working on another cover picture, and I should regularly update every week (unless I am too busy in which case it should be the following week). Until the next chapter my wonderful readers!
> 
> WarrynSparklegem


	2. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While trying to find out what's wrong with Lance, Pidge and Hunk reminisce.

Keith was awoken a varga later by a shaking motion on his shoulder. He slowly blinked his eyes open to see a dark figure standing above him. In sudden panic, Keith raised his head and reached for his knife.

"Calm yourself." A came a deep voice.

Keith blinked again and saw Kolivan before him.

"It's nice to see that your reflexes are still intact." He commented.

Keith mumbled slightly and rubbed his tired eyes. His other hand was weighed by something cold. He looked down to see his hand tightly intertwined with Lance's. The Blue Paladin was still unconscious, but his face was scrunched up in discomfort and his head was twitching from side to side. His breaths were also laboured and his skin looked more like marble. Keith cursed the poison for being so horrible. Speaking of which...

"Did you identify the poison?" He asked, looking up towards his mentor.

Kolivan opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted by distant voices and shuffling. Soon enough, everyone filtered into the infirmary and all arranged themselves around Lance's bed.

"This really is horrible." Allura said, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

"What is?" Keith demanded firmly.

Everyone turned to him, and Shiro nodded to Kolivan, who began to explain.

"I was right when I said that I recognised the poison." Kolivan said, concern evident in his voice. "One of our members was affected by it a few years ago. It is called Nigrum Sanguis."

"Nigrum Sanguis?" Keith repeated.

"Yes." Kolivan confirmed, moving around the bed so that he could see everyone. "It is a poison that specifically attacks the blood. Our member was dead within a few dobashes."

"But Lance is still alive." Hunk pointed out. "Not that I'm complaining!"

"That is because the poison is designed for Galran blood." Kolivan explained. "It was programmed by the Druids to attack Galra directly. Any Galra, or half-Galra, would die painfully and swiftly. However, because your Paladin is human, its effects are taking longer to develop. Unfortunately, this will not save him. I calculate that he may only have around six varga left - eight if he fights it, which I am sure he will."

Keith's head was spinning. If Lance hadn't taken the blow for him, he would be dead by now. The revelation made him want to puke.

"They were aiming at me." Keith muttered quietly.

"Keith?" Shiro inquired towards his younger brother.

"They were aiming at me!" Keith repeated more loudly. "That Druid was aiming at me and Lance stepped in front of me!"

Keith began to son with wide horrified eyes.

"Oh my God!" He whimpered. "This is all my fault!"

"Keith no!" Shiro almost yelled, rushing forwards to hug Keith. "This wasn't your fault! That Druid could have gone for any of the other Blades; it just happened to go for you."

"But what if they were targeting me?" Keith asked.

"Why would they?" Shiro asked. "Surely they must know that you are with the Blades now. It's not your fault that this happened, nor is it Lance's or anyone else's, okay?"

Keith sniffled, but did not agree or disagree. He just kept his face buried in Shiro's shoulder, soaking the armour with salty tears.

"There is a cure, right?" Pidge asked.

"We're not sure." Kolivan replied sorrowfully. "We have tried looking for one, but we haven't been able to make it."

Pidge was silent for a moment before perking up with perseverance.

"Then we'll just have to find one." She said. "We have just downloaded a ton of information on Druid plans and operations; surely there must be something about this venom on that database!"

"But looking through all of that data would take vargas!" Kolivan protested.

"Then you'll just have to help us." Hunk growled. "I am not giving up! That is my best friend lying on that bed and if I have to tear apart the Universe to find a cure, then I will!"

Hunk then left the room with Pidge and Matt. Kolivan sighed deeply and sent some of his Blades to assist them with their search.

"We will not be able to stay for too long though." Kolivan informed Shiro and Allura. "We need to start escorting the prisoners back to their home planets."

"I'm staying here." Keith spoke out, gripping Lance's hand tighter.

Kolivan turned to his student with remorse.

"We'll need everyone to help with the prisoners." He said. "That includes you."

"I said I'm staying here!" Keith said angrily. He stood up to look at Kolivan directly in the eyes. Kolivan opened his mouth to open, but Keith beat him to the first word. "NO! I am not leaving Lance behind!"

"You didn't seem too unhappy leaving him behind before." Kolivan commented. "Why express you displeasure now?"

"Because-because I want to help Lance!" Keith bit back.

"But why?" Kolivan insisted.

"I just do!" Keith snapped.

"Why?"

"BECAUSE I LOVE HIM, ALRIGHT?!"

Everyone stared at Keith with wide eyes. Tears slid down Keith's red face as he panted heavily after his outburst. He curled up into himself and cried harder.

"I love him." He wept quietly, teardrops making small splatting noises on the ground.

Shiro quickly snapped out of his surprised state and leaned forwards to pull Keith towards his chest. The smaller man bunched his hands up to the Black Paladin's breastplate and began to sob harder.

"I-I love him Kashi." He whispered quietly.

Shiro held his brother and sighed.

"We'll save him Keith." He said. "We'll find a cure and he'll be running around you in circles just like he did before."

Keith moved his head back to wipe at his face and look Shiro in the face.

"You promise?" He snivelled. Shiro's heart melted at Keith's wide eyes; he only ever acted like this when he was truly terrified. The last time this happened was at the launch of the Kerberos mission.

"I promise." Shiro smiled back. The smile then curved into a smirk. "It's about time you said something. I thought you were going to keep it bottled up forever!"

"Y-you knew?!" Keith squawked.

Shiro couldn't help but giggle: "Keith, you're about as subtle as a...Coran?"

"As a Welpodasheri!" Coran piped.

"Yeah, as a Welpodasheri!"

Keith's face relaxed into a small smile as he looked at Shiro with red eyes.

"Thanks Kashi." Keith said, falling into Shiro's arms for another hug. "Just don't tell Pidge, alright? She'd never let me hear the end of it."

"Keith, I'm pretty sure she could hear your yells from the labs." Shiro grinned teasingly. "Speaking of which, I'd better go see how they're doing."

Shiro pat Keith's shoulder lightly before spinning on one foot and exiting the room. Kolivan followed without hesitation. Once they had rounded the corner, Lance groaned quietly. Keith's head snapped back around to look at his beloved Blue Paladin.

Lance's eyes were slowly opened before snapping shut again.

"Lance?" Keith breathed, lowering to Lance's face.

"Bright." Lance wheezed.

Allura reached for the light controls and dimmed the lights enough for Lance's eyes to open more without too much trouble. Lance's eyes surveyed the room slowly before coming to rest on Keith's face.

"K-Keith?" He rasped. "A-are you-"

Keith silenced him by placing a finger over his lips.

"Ssh." He urged. "Don't speak if it hurts."

Lance just drew in a ragged breath and shuddered. He moved to grab the sheet at his feet, but winced as a stab of pain surged through his stomach. He moaned miserably and fell back into his pillow. Keith pulled the thin, white sheet over Lance up to his shoulders, leaving one arm free. He then tucked the edges under his body and smoothed the sweaty, chocolate hair back out of shadowed eyes. The skin surrounding Lance's eyes was now grey and sunken. Keith continued his motions and lightly held Lance's hand in his other. Keith squeezed the hand slightly. Lance tried to squeeze back, but he felt too weak.

"Was hppning?" Lance said as clearly as he was able with heavy lips.

"You've got a poison called Nigrum Sanguis in you." Keith replied calmly despite being completely terrified. "It's designed to target Galra blood; if that dagger hit me, I would have been dead in a dobash."

Lance only blinked at this. He looked like he was about to try and speak, but Keith kept talking.

"We're looking for an antidote right now." Keith explained. "Because you're human, the poison won't complete its effects for many vargas. Pidge, Hunk and Matt are all looking in to it."

"F anyone cun fnd cure it's Pidge n Unk." Lance slurred.

"Yeah." Keith said, eyes looking distant. "Hopefully they'll come up with something soon."

Coran then moved closer with an IV line.

"Hello my lad." Coran greeted them, his voice deliberately quieter than usual. Keith silently thanked him. "How are we then?"

"Urts." Lance gulped. "Vrywhere burns. Stomach...feels orrble."

"That's fine." Coran assured him. "Your digestive system will be rather sensitive at the moment, so I dare not let you consume anything. You do, however, need to remain hydrated. I have assessed the venom's chemical structure and it seems like it won't react with water."

During his explanation, Coran had picked up Lance's wrist and attached the IV line. Lance made no reaction to the prick of the needle, but then again, the prick must have felt like a tickle compared to the agony the rest of his body was in.

"Keep resting." Coran said. "We'll fix you up soon."

Lance flashed a weak, shaky smile before allowing his eyes to droop shut. It didn't take long for his hand to feel heavier in Keith's grasp. Keith brought the frozen hand to his lips and kissed it softly. He continued to stare at Lance's stuttering chest to remind himself that Lance was still alive and will remain that way.

 _I have to tell him._ He thought. _As soon as Lance is better, I will tell him._

* * *

Shiro and Kolivan walked to labs side by side. They remained silent for quite a while. Shiro was silently fuming about how pushy Kolivan had been towards Keith. Why did he need a reason anyway? Why couldn't he have just accepted that Keith didn't want to leave his teammate behind?

Kolivan observed the Black Paladin's inner turmoil and finally spoke out.

"You're angry with me." He said.

Shiro did not deny it.

"Why were you so hard on him?" He asked the Blades' leader. "He said that he didn't want to go. Wasn't that enough for you?"

Kolivan sighed.

"I had my own reasons." He replied.

Shiro looked at him, waiting for him to expand. It only took a few seconds for Kolivan to cease his silence.

"I had my suspicions that Keith was in love with the Blue Paladin." He explained. "It was important that I confirmed this because Galra are monogamous."

Shiro blinked in surprise.

"You mean they only love one person?" Shiro inquired.

"Yes." Kolivan nodded. "Throughout their life, a Galra will only ever love one person, even after that person dies. Once a Galra has chosen a mate, they will be completely inseparable. They can only last a few quintaints apart from each other before they begin to suffer mental and emotional effects."

"What do mean exactly by 'apart'?" Shiro asked.

"I mean as in far away from each other." Kolivan replied. "If Keith was on the opposite side of this Castle to his mate, he would be fine because he would know that they're still on the ship. But if Keith was to return to the Blades of Marmora with us while the Blue Paladin stayed here..."

Kolivan fell silent. A haunted look dominated his face. Shiro continued to remove the burden from his companion.

"Keith would suffer." He guessed, to which Kolivan nodded.

"Yes. The only way for him to remain fine would be if the Blue Paladin came back to our base with us...or if Keith remained here with Voltron."

Shiro's face fell. Losing Lance from Voltron would severely damage the team even more than when Shiro had disappeared! But Keith had been so eager to train with the Blades and find out anything he could about his mother.

"Keith would have to choose." Shiro realised.

"Indeed. Only he can make the choice. If the Blue Paladin loves Keith as much as he does him then he should be able to follow Keith wherever he goes."

The two fell silent again for a short while.

"We can't let Lance die." Shiro concluded. "Keith would be devastated even without this whole mate-bond."

"Galra in the past have taken their own lives after losing their mates." Kolivan said, shuddering. "A Galra would rather not live at all than live completely alone. When I said that Keith didn't look unhappy leaving this place, I was lying. Of course, he tried to appear untroubled, but he truly was devastated. I believe that the only reason he has not gone completely insane is because of his human genes. Until they both agree to be together, the bond will not be completely solidified."

Shiro was now utterly terrified - more than he had in his entire life! Even his fear while the Druids removed his arm was nothing compared to how he felt now. He wasn't only at risk of losing Lance, the boy who brought them all together as a family, but also Keith, whom he had taken in and welcomed so freely into his heart.

Shiro began to run.

* * *

_I'M GOING TO SMASH THIS STUPID THING!_ Pidge thought as she furiously tapped away at her laptop.

The three of them, along with a few other Blades, had been trawling through this data for ages and found nothing! Pidge was almost ready to cry! The last time she had felt like this was a while before she had found Matt. She was getting nowhere with finding any information on her family's whereabouts. In fact, she had gotten so angry that she kicked her chair into a wall and left a dent!

It was Lance who came to comfort her at that time. She remembered how she yelled at him:

" _JUST LEAVE ME ALONE LANCE!"_

" _No way!" Lance replied firmly, folding his arms in a clear sign that he would not budge._

_Pidge growled angrily and tried to dodge past him, but Lance was able to scoop her up in his long arms and hold her tightly to his chest._

" _LANCE, PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT!" She screeched._

_Lance said nothing as Pidge hit him with her flailing arms and legs. He groaned a few times when he was whacked particularly hard, but he continued to steadily hold his ground. Eventually, Pidge wore herself out and began to cry in frustration instead. She was frustrated with Lance for being so stubborn, she was frustrated with the Galra for taking her family and she was frustrated with herself for not being to find them._

_When she began to sob, Lance lowered her to the ground and turned her around to face him. He then held her tightly to his chest one arm splayed over her back and the other ruffling her hair. She pressed her face into Lance's hoodie and grasped it tightly in her hands. Neither she nor Lance said anything for many dobashes. When Pidge finally removed her head and wiped her eyes, Lance still said nothing. Instead, he took her by the hand and led her towards the kitchen. Pidge, too exhausted to resist, stomped tiredly behind him._

_Once at the kitchen, Lance sat her down on one of the stools and put a cup of hot milk in front of her. He then jumped into the chair next to her with his own hot milk. The two of them silently sipped their drinks. When they were done, Lance put the cups in the sink and sat back down next to the Green Paladin. He put an arm around her shoulders and leaned back into him._

" _I can't find them." She muttered at last. "I've looked through every bit of data we have and I can't find anything on Matt or dad."_

" _Just because you can't find anything on the database doesn't mean you won't find them." Lance replied gently, his hand now rubbing up and down her arm. "Spare your computer from your frustration and save it for the Galra, okay? Your family are out there somewhere Pidge - if your resilience is anything to go by. You said that Matt was taken by a rebel group, so I doubt that he'll be on their database anymore, and your dad may not be on there because he's already managed to escape"_

_Pidge sniffled and turned to look at Lance._

" _Really?" She asked hopefully._

" _Pidge, you disguised yourself as a guy for an entire year at the Garrison to get information on them." Lance cheered. "You then followed a crazy Blue Lion and her equally crazy pilot into Space just to find them! You're one of the most determined people I've ever met Pidge. If anyone can find the Holts, it's you."_

_Lance smiled warmly down at Pidge who returned the smile._

" _Thanks Lance." She breathed happily as she wrapped her arms around his chest._

" _You're welcome Gremlin." He replied. "Now, let's get you into bed."_

_Lance had then walked her back to her room and helped her to stand while she brushed her teeth. He turned around while she changed into her pyjamas and then tucked her into her bed once she'd settled._

" _See you tomorrow Gremlin." He said as he left the room._

_About three weeks later, she finally got a lead on Matt's location._

Pidge began to cry as her memories flashed in front of her. Lance had always been there to cheer her up whenever she'd been down. This was always happening. Lance would get injured and she would only then realise just how important he was to her â€“ just like when he'd been blown up by the bomb. Pidge was just about to leave without saying goodbye to him and then thought about how badly she'd treated him! She stayed to make it up to him, but recently, she'd gone back to treating him badly again. Ever since she'd returned with Matt, she had drifted further away from Lance. They didn't play video games as often as they used to. Instead she was in the lab with Matt and Hunk working on some new upgrades to their technology or information.

Pidge was now typing so hard that Matt was afraid she'd type right through the keyboard.

"Pidge?" He gently asked her.

"I'm fine." She growled back.

"I know you're worried about him - I am too - but you need to calm down a bit. If you get distracted by your anger, you may miss something important."

"I just want to find it quickly!" Pidge hissed. "The sooner we find it, the sooner we can go get that stupid remedy and make him better again."

"He's really important to you, isn't he?" Matt observed.

"Of course he is!" Pidge snarled, her eyes never leaving the screen. "He was always there for me after you and dad got taken! He's always been there! I can't lose him!"

"And you won't!" Matt assured her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We'll find the antidote! But getting frustrated at that computer won't help you! Save your anger for the Druid who did this, okay?"

Pidge paused in her typing to look at her brother. Matt felt a pang of pain in his heart when he saw his sister's sparkling eyes.

"You know, Lance used to tell me that as well."

Matt smiled: "That's why I like him. Great minds think alike after all."

This brought a small smile to Pidge's face as she turned back to her screen to continue typing, albeit a little less aggressively. Matt felt relieved and removed his hand. He then turned to see how Hunk was managing.

Hunk tried to remain emotionless and focused on his work. He needed to find this antidote before he lost Lance. He felt horrible because he'd been ignoring Lance more and more since they'd arrived in Space. Hunk was always working with Pidge or creating a new recipe in the kitchen, and the two of them never hung out anymore, and Hunk felt absolutely appalled with himself!

Lance was always there for him, even when others kept their distance! While many would tease Hunk for his large size, Lance would cling to him like a sloth and compliment about how cuddly and comfortable he was.

Hunk had first met Lance when he was seven. He and his mums went to Hawaii for a vacation and he was signed up for a junior surfing class in hopes that he would make some friends. Instead the other children teased him cruelly and said that he would just end up sinking.

" _Hey tubby, where are your floaties?"_

" _Yeah! You'll just make your board sink all the way to the bottom!"_

_Hunk hunched over to hide his face closer to his chest. He didn't want them to see his eyes glisten with budding tears; he didn't want to give them more ammo against him. He just stood in a corner far away from the class while the instructor demonstrated some techniques. Hunk buried the tip of his board into the sand and turned to run away. However, he didn't get very far because he ended up running into a pole_

_It must have been a very short, light pole because it fell right over into the sand._

" _Hey!" A high, chipper voice yelped from below._

_Hunk looked down and gasped when he saw that he hadn't knocked over a pole, but rather a very scrawny tanned boy. He was hoisting himself up from the sand, his own surfboard lying in a small crater from when it had landed._

" _Oh my gosh!" Hunk began to rush out, burying his head in his hands. "Are you alright? Oh gosh I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there! Maybe I would have if I wasn't so big and tubby, but I am and I just went and ran right into you! Oh gosh I must have hurt you!"_

" _Woah, woah!" The voice tried to calm the panicking boy. "Easy there! I'm fine. I landed in sand anyway!"_

_Hunk peeked over his hands to see the boy looking up at his with bright, wide eyes. He was smiling so widely that Hunk could see some gaps where he was missing teeth. The boy was tanned a lighter shade than himself and his brown hair was stood up in all directions like he'd just been electrocuted._

" _Are you sure?" Hunk asked timidly._

" _I'm fine." The boy repeated. "Seriously. I promise I'm fine. Where were you going anyway? I thought you were going to learn surfing!"_

_Hunk twiddled his thumbs nervously._

" _I-I'd probably sink." Hunk mumbled miserably._

" _Nonsense!" The boy laughed. "Trust me. There's this old man in my town and he is huuuge -like a boat - and he can float for days! Trust me, you'll be fine!"_

_And strangely enough, Hunk did trust this very loud and optimistic boy._

" _I'm in the class anyway!" The boy continued. "Would you like me to stay by you?"_

_Hunk was ready to politely deny the offer when he realised that this could be his only chance to make a friend._

" _Uh, sure." He replied quietly._

" _Great!" The boy whooped, bending down to pick up his board. He then began walking towards the class and beckoned Hunk to follow him. Hunk surprisingly did follow him._

" _I'm Lance by the way." The boy piped up, holding out a hand to shake. "Lance McLain."_

" _Oh." Hunk's eyes widened in surprise. "I'm Hunk Garrett."_

_When Hunk wrapped his enormous hand around Lance's adorably tine one and shook it, he knew that day that the two would never ever let go (metaphorically of course)._

_Hunk and Lance spent the rest of their two-week holiday together. They both introduced each other to their families. Lance did not look disgusted when he found out that Hunk had two mums and was incredibly friendly with them. Hunk was also amazed by Lance's large family, but none of them pointed out Hunk's larger-than-average body and dragged him into the pool to play volleyball with them._

_Near the end of their holiday, Hunk was afraid that he and Lance would fall out of contact when they returned to their homes. He and Lance sat on the beach on their final night looking up at the glittery sky._

" _I'm gonna make it up there one day Hunk." Lance told him. "I'll get into the Galaxy Garrison and become a Fighter Pilot! I'll have my own team and we'll explore far beyond the boundaries of our Solar System and be a part of something great!"_

_Where Lance was abundantly confident, Hunk was abundantly shy and afraid. He felt bad about turning the conversation from Lance to himself, but he just needed to know._

" _Lance?" He piped up quietly._

" _Yeah?" Lance acknowledged._

" _What do you think will happen to us once we return to our homes?" He asked._

" _What do you mean 'what will happen'?" Lance demanded. "We'll stay in touch of course!"_

" _R-really?" Hunk straightened up, staring directly into Lance's eyes in disbelief._

" _Of course!" Lance happily assured him. "You're my best friend after all!"_

_Lance was a bit disturbed when Hunk began crying, but sighed in relief when he realised that Hunk was crying because he was happy. He then giggled and called Hunk stupid for ever thinking that they would ever fall out of contact._

" _I promise." Lance said. "We'll be best friends forever!"_

_And Lance was true to his word. The two became pen pals! It all started with letters, and then developed into regular Skype calls. They always contacted each other on Christmas and their birthdays and met up on holiday whenever they could. Hunk would help Lance study for his exams and Lance would comfort Hunk every day and make him feel happy about himself. Hunk even decided to do study as a mechanic at the Garrison so that he could join his best friend more permanently._

_Hunk decided that knocking Lance over on that beach was the greatest thing he had ever done for himself._

And now he was about to lose him. His best friend was currently laid in the infirmary drawing closer to death. He had been serious when he said he'd tear the Universe apart to find a cure â€“ his hands were large enough after all. He knew that if Lance was with him right now, he'd be telling Hunk to not give up. He'd be here comforting him and making him laugh with his jokes.

Hunk wanted to do that with him again.

Hunk wanted his best friend back.

So he kept strong and continued to type.

* * *

Shiro and Kolivan walked into a rather tense atmosphere. The lab was silent, apart from the perpetual clicks of computer keys. Shiro walked straight to the corner where Matt, Pidge and Hunk were all huddled together.

"How are we doing?" Shiro asked them gently. He didn't want to stress them out after all.

"We're close." Pidge said. "I can feel it."

"We won't stop until we find something." Hunk added, not looking away from his screen.

Matt turned to Shiro and asked: "Is Keith alright? We could hear him from here."

Shiro's smile faded.

"He'll be much better when Lance is up and around again." He replied. The 'if' was silent, but still there. "He's never been in love before, and Kolivan's just told me that he'll never be in love again."

"He'd better treat Lance right." Hunk growled dangerously.

"Yeah." Pidge agreed. "If Lance comes up to me complaining about his boyfriend, I'll go shock him with my bayard."

"I hardly think that'll be necessary." Shiro chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess." Hunk smiled. "Lance has been going on about his undying crush towards Keith since the Garrison days."

"That long? Really?" Shiro asked in shock.

"Yeah." Hunk replied. "Long before Keith left the Garrison. Then he came up to me after the whole bomb incident and said: 'Hunk, I think my undying crush has just evolved into undying love!'."

"Hopefully he'll stop being such a lovesick puppy now." Pidge smirked.

"Yeah, hopefully." Shiro snickered.

Silence fell over the room again, and remained like a heavy blanket for about a varga until Matt shouted so abruptly that everyone else jumped.

"I FOUND IT!" He yelled triumphantly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warryn: Keith, confessing to Shiro is good and all, but you really need to confess to Lance.  
> Keith: That's much easier said than done!  
> Warryn: It's simple! Just go up to him and say: "Hey, are you from outer Space? Because your body is out of this world!"  
> Keith: Seriously?  
> Warryn: Lance thinks that that is his best line. Trust me, I'm sure it'll work!  
> Friend: Hey, hurry up and end this A/N! I want the next chapter of my gay fic!  
> Warryn: Huh? Oh yeah! Thank you all for reading the second chapter of Nigrum Sanguis! I didn't originally plan for Pidge and Hunk to have flashbacks, but I just go with the flow and the cookie dough, and the flow brought me here. Klance will still be the main focus, but I think I'll also include more of the others thinking about Lance. Also, I just noticed that I forgot to include Matt in the character tags...this will be rectified immediately.
> 
> Until the next chapter my wonderful readers!
> 
> WarrynSparklegem


	3. Discoveries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to formulate a plan to save Lance!

Keith nervously fumbled with a seashell tied around Lance's neck.

In the varga after everyone had dispersed, Coran and Allura had cut away what remained of Lance's black flight suit to allow easy access to the wound and to accommodate for the fever beginning to burn beneath his skin. While Keith stroked Lance's soaked forehead comfortingly, Coran had explained that it was a symptom of the second stage of the poison.

"Stage?" Keith inquired.

"Indeed." Coran developed while twiddling with the end of his moustache. "From what Kolivan has told me, the Nigrum Sanguis has three stages. Of course they're developing much more slowly with Lance due to his human anatomy. The first stage involved his weakness, paling of the skin and the beginning of the spread of the poison throughout the body. During the second stage, a fever develops and the venom will begin to spread much more quickly. The third stage develops once the poison has spread throughout the e tire body. At that point, Lance will be too weak to move much, and he will also begin to experience hallucinations. His pain will become practically unbearable and his eyes will lose their colour. The third stage will end with inevitable death."

They both looked down at Lance's writhing form - Coran with sympathy and Keith with determination.

"It won't come to that." Keith said.

The black vines now covered the whole of Lance's stomach and were now creeping up his chest and down his hips. Keith looked up at Lance's face. He looked a little more relaxed from the movements of his hands, which still made him appear to be incredibly pained. As Coran left to collect some nourishments, Keith tucked some of Lance's longer strands behind his ears. It was then that Keith noticed a small white object laid in the junction between the Cuban's he neck and shoulder. Keith picked it up curiously and found that it was a tiny, white, smooth seashell. It was fat and spiralled like a snail's shell. Keith did not remember ever seeing this shell before - not even during the 'elevator incident' - but he concluded that it was something for him to ask Lance about once he was better.

After a short while, Allura quietly plopped herself into the seat next to Keith and laid a weightless hand on his shoulder.

"How are you holding up?" She asked gently.

"I've been better." Keith admitted.

Allura managed to form a small satisfied smile and removed her hand. She turned to loom at Lance as well.

"We won't let him die." She promised, both to Keith and herself. "He's far too important to us."

"Yeah, he is." Keith smiled fondly.

"And we have both already lost so much in our lives." Allura continued, now looking at Keith. "I would hate for us both to lose someone we treasure dearly."

Keith nodded in silent agreement. Keith had lost his father and never known his mother. Allura had lost her family, along with her entire race! All she had left of Altea was Coran and her father's machines. The Paladins of Voltron were their family now and it was far too soon to lose any one of them.

Keith h looked at Allura with amusement.

"You treasure him?" He teased, hoping that he didn't sound too jealous.

"I do." Allura smiled at Lance fondly. "I love him. Not in the same way you do, of course, but he is still very precious to me."

She smiled as she remembered the day she had welcomed the bubbly Blue Paladin into her heart.

* * *

_Allura was beginning to feel frustrated._

_"I can do a bun easily!" She growled at her reflection. "Why can't I manage a simple braid?"_

_With a viscous groan, she slammed her hairbrush down onto her table. The impact was so strong that her various bottles and boxes all rattled a d shook. Allura leapt out of her seat and swept out of her bedroom, her dressing gown flowing behind her._

_The hallways of the Castle were dim. Coran and Pidge had programmed a night cycle to accommodate for the Paladins' human lifestyles. While Alteans did not need as much sleep as humans did, Allura still liked the night cycles because the made the silky light of the stars more prominent. However, Allura was far too annoyed tonight to stop and admire them. She didn't know where she was taking herself, but she was in desperate need of a break._

_When Allura came close to the kitchen, she noticed a light emanating from the doorway. She could also hear faint murmurs and squeaks coming from inside. She curiously poked her head around the doorway and was moderately surprised to find Lance sat at the bench. He was surrounded by the four mice and had a glass by his side and a n Altean tablet in his hands. He'd clearly been ready for bed - if the shorts, T-shirt and lion slippers were anything to go by - so what was he doing up so late?_

_"I - Imak-aro?" Lance spoke uncertainly. His face was contorted with confusion but concentration burned brightly in his eyes. The mice all shook their heads at Lance's pronunciation._

_Allura smiled warmly at the scene. It had been a long time since she had heard anything spoken in Altean. She was always reading it when she was controlling the Castle, but she didn't need to speak it since none of the human Paladins knew the language - at least that was what she had thought._

_"It's pronounced as Emak-eyro, but you managed the 'r' sound perfectly."_

_Lance and the mice all turned their heads at the sound of Allura's voice. The mice all squeaked and jumped in greetings._

_"Oh! Good evening Princess!" Lance smiled warmly and brightly. "What are you doing up so late?"_

_"I could ask you the same thing." Allura replied, raising an eyebrow slightly._

_Lance's expression didn't change._

_"I couldn't sleep," He explained. "So I decided to get a drink and continue practicing Altean. The mice have been such amazing little helpers!"_

_The mice sparkled with pride and rushed up Lance's arms to nestle underneath his ears. He lifted his hands to gently stroke them on their heads._

_"Continue?" Allura inquired. "Have you been doing this for a while then?"_

_"Yeah." Lance nodded enthusiastically. "I'm really enjoy learning new languages; it helps me to relax."_

_"And the mice have been helping you?"_

_"As much as they can. They just tell me whether or not I have spelled or pronounced a word correctly."_

_"I haven't heard anything about this." Allura glared at the mice._

_"Well of course you haven't!" Lance chuckled. "They're my best buddies! I'm the one who feeds them the most, after all."_

_The mice practically glowed._ _Allura rolled her eyes in fondness and settled herself down in the seat next to Lance._

_"Why didn't you ever come to me or Coran for help?" She asked._

_Lance stared at the table as if it was his conversation partner. His smile dropped a bit and he looked a little bit sad. Maybe even nervous?_

_"I didn't want to hurt either of you." He replied sympathetically. "I know how sensitive the two of you are about anything regarding Altea. I didn't want to trigger any, grief, so to say."_

_Allura was taken aback! Lance had never struck her as one to be incredibly thoughtful of his actions and choices, given how much he enjoyed bragging during training and missions. He was also often distracted, often leading to some troubles. This was a side of the Blue Paladin that Allura had never seen before._

_"That is very considerate of you Lance," Allura began. "But I really wouldn't mind teaching you Altean."_

_When Lance looked back up at Allura, his eyes were glowing!_

_"Really?"_

_"Of course!" Allura giggled at how adorable Lance looked right now. "While I do miss Altea, it will be nice to hear my language again."_

_"I know right?" Lance agreed. "I would give anything to hear Spanish again."_

_"Spanish?" Allura inquired, confused and interested._

_"_ _Es mi lengua materna!" Lance replied._

_Allura marveled at how beautiful his language sounded._

_"I thought that you all spoke English!" Allura said, amazed at how much she didn't know about humans._

_"We do," Lance assured her. "But our planet is made up of many regions called countries, and almost every country has their own language."_

_"Oh."_

_"So," Lance began, smiling teasingly at her. "I've told you why I'm still up. What about you?"_

_Allura huffed slightly, but conceded. He had asked her first, after all._

_"I was frustrated because I couldn't braid my hair." She admitted, blushing with embarrassment. She expected Lance to laugh at her, but instead he lit up like a firefly._

_"I can do that for you!" He said eagerly._

_"Really?"_

_"Yeah! I used to do it for my sisters all the time!"_

_Lance led her back to her room before she could protest or ask further about his experience. She sat in front of her mirror while Lance allowed the mice to run down his arm. The faced the the two to observe his actions. Lance picked up the brush and gently ran it through Allura's long, white locks. They were both silent for a while. Allura sighed in relaxation while Lance smiled with nostalgia._

_"How many sisters do you have?" Allura suddenly asked him._

_"Four." Lance replied. "All younger."_

_"Any older siblings?"_

_The atmosphere reminded Lance of a hairdressers, but he didn't voice this epiphany out loud._

_"Nope." Lance proclaimed, popping the 'p' sound. "I'm the oldest of seven children."_

_"Seven!?" Allura exclaimed incredulously._

_"No need to sound so surprised!" Lance laughed cheekily at Allura's gaping mouth. He turned back to her hair with a far-off look and began to braid it. "Mariana was born after me, followed by Fernanda and Felipe. They're twins, you see."_

_"What are twins?" Allura asked._

_"They're two babies who are born at the same time from the same mother." Lance explained simply. "Fernanda was born ten minutes before Felipe and it always annoys him whenever she brings it up. Then came David, flowed by Juliana, and Finally, Sofia. My sisters would always insist on me braiding their hair before bed, and would have me do it whenever they had a nightmare. Of course, my brothers don't have long hair to braid, so they just settle for a cuddle. Mariana wants to be a journalist, which doesn't really surprise me; she's really nosy. Felipe is training to be a vet and Fernanda is a brilliant ballet dancer. David wants to be an astrophysicist, and he always used to ask me about everything while I was at the Garrison. Juliana and Sofia don't have any future plans yet - which is fine, considering they're only nine and seven - but Juliana plays the violin beautifully!"_

_"They sound amazing." Allura said softly. She felt guilty now for taking Lance away from such a wonderful family! She knew what it was like to have your family taken away from you. Did his family even know he was up here? Probably not, but surely he would return to them once the war was over; she would make sure about it. "What about your parents?"_

_Lance was knelt on his knee braiding the bottom half of her hair._

_"Papa was a wise man." Lance smiled sadly. "He would always be giving me advice, like 'two wrongs never make a right', or 'it's okay to accept more people into your heart as love can never run out'. One of his final teachings was: 'welcoming people to be your family doesn't mean you're replacing people; you're just expanding your family, and those with the largest and most loving families are the happiest'."_

_"Your Papa sounds just like my father." Allura commented. "He was always telling me random bits of advice as well."_

_"He would also take me fishing." Lance continued. "Once a week, every week, we'd wake up really early and go fishing. We didn't always catch anything, but it was nice to spend some time with him since I have six siblings. And then there's Mama. Mama could rule the entire Galra Empire with just one look!"_

_"Is that so?" Allura chuckled as Lance tied off the bottom of her braid._

_"Yeah." Lance laughed softly. "She's stern and protective, but also caring and supportive. I mean, any woman who raises seven children must be incredibly strong. She gave the warmest hugs and made the most delicious food! Hunk has yet to cook something that tastes better than her food."_

_"Your family is simply wonderful." Allura said as Lance stood up._

_"Yeah." Lance agreed. "And once you meet them, they'll practically adopt you straight away!"_

_Allura spluttered in sudden surprise: "You want me to meet them?"_

_"Well, I already think of you as family, so you should get to meet them." Lance replied sheepishly._

_"Family?" Allura echoed. "You really think of me as your family?"_

_"I did try to think of you as my Space Mom," Lance began. "But I think Blue is much more of a Space Mom. You're more like my Big Space Sister!"_

_"Sister?" Allura gasped._

_Allura grew up as an only child, so it wasn't uncommon for her to pretend that she had a sibling. She often thought of them as playful and confident while displaying acts of loyalty, honour and kindness. It struck her then that Lance embodied many of these attributes._

_When tears began to spill out of Allura's eyes, Lance paled and looked panicked._

_"Oh no!" He stuttered. "Are you alright? Oh, man, I'm so sorry! I knew I shouldn't have mentioned it! Now I've just gone and made everything weird!"_

_"No, no!" Allura quickly assured him. "It's just that...ever since I came out of the crypod, I haven't felt I can move on from Altea and my old family, but you...you went around, dragging us all together for regular meals and 'hang-outs'. And now I have hope that I truly can be happy with a family again!"_

_She stood up and placed a hand on Lance's shoulder._

_"And knowing that regard me as family so strongly brings me more joy than I can convey!" She smiled brightly, hey eyes sparkling with tears of happiness. Lance's eyes also widened and looked ready to spill his own happy tears. Instead, he leapt forwards and wrapped his arms around her tightly. When Allura tensed, he suddenly froze._

_"This...isn't too weird, is it?" He asked her warily._

_"Of course not." Allura smiled, wrapping her own arms around Lance's skinny frame. "It's natural for me to hug my own brother, after all."_

_The two hugged for quite a long time, just enjoying each other's company. Eventually, the two untangled themselves. Lance picked up a wall mirror from the ground next to Allura's desk and held it up so that Allura could see her braid from the reflection in her desk's mirror._

_"What do you think?" He asked._

_"It's beautiful." Allura awed at how professional her hair looked. It looked just like her Mother or Father had done it. "Thank you."_

_"N-n-no problem." Lance yawned widely._

_"I think it's time that somebody went to bed." Allura smirked._

_"But I'm not sleepy!" Lance whined._

_"Go to bed Lance before I get Shiro to carry you." Allura ordered him playfully._

_Lance, too tired to argue, complied and left the room to head for his bed._

_"Goodnight Allura." He yawned on the way out._

_"Goodnight Lance."_

_And with that, her brother left to go to sleep._

* * *

"He makes us a family." Allura said. "With out him...we'd just be a group of comrades."

"I know." Keith agreed, holding Lance's hand a little more tightly.

"And that's why I won't let any of us rest until we find this antidote." Allura stood up; she looked regal and commanding again. "I'd better go see how the others are doing."

But as soon as Allura stood up, Matt raced in like whirlwind with Pidge right at his heels. The two were both talking excitedly with vigorous hand movements and rapid speech. Allura attempted to calm the two down so that she could understand what was going on, but was interrupted by Shiro and Hunk racing in and talking just as quickly and loudly as the Holts. Kolivan just stood there , gaze flickering over them all and looking a little bit startled. Keith was getting frustrated. What the heck were they all going on about? He released Lance's hand (much to his disappointment), stood up and allowed himself a few ticks to take in a deep breath.

"WILL YOU ALL SHUT UP FOR JUST FIVE SECONDS!?"

Everyone fell silent as though someone had just muted their voices. They all looked over at Keith with wide, terrified eyes and embarrassed flushes.

"Now then," Keith panted with a tone that commanded obedience and cooperation, much like a general's. "What exactly have you found?"

Matt perked up before anyone could even open their mouth to reply.

"We have a cure!" Matt announced excitedly.

Before Keith could react, Pidge ran over to the plasma screen so that she could bring the information up. Keith grabbed Lance's hand again to encourage him to keep holding on.

 _It's almost over Lance._ Keith thought.

"The Druids devised an antidote just in case the Nigrum Sanguis was ever used on Zarkon or any of the generals and commanders." Pidge explained as lines of information appeared on the screen. "The poison itself is made up of ingredients from five different planets-" Five planets appeared on the screen. "-which all have very different environments. The antidote requires one ingredient from each."

"How convenient." Coran muttered as he arrived with some water packs and snacks.

"We think that they did it like this so that the Blades would be unable to make a cure." Matt said. "After all, one of the planets is deadly to the Galra."

"Good thing that Haggar is Altean then." Allura noted darkly.

"The first ingredient comes from the planet Hijantartatavat."

Pidge pressed on as the screen zoomed in onto the blue planet.

"The planet is 98% water; the other 2% is its core. We'll need a golden scale from a Hijanva, which, according to the old information on our database, is the dominant species of the planet."

A picture of a creature that resembled a mermaid appeared on the screen.

"The Hijanva with the golden scales are incredibly rare, but are also considered as the leaders since they are inherently stronger both in mind and body."

"I shall go to this planet then." Allura said. "After all, Blue is the only lion who will be able to survive such a watery environment."

"Okay." Everyone else nodded in agreement.

"We'll also need petals from the Furomiak plant on Kardiatistaxis."

The green planet now dominated the screen with the picture of a blue and purple flower next to it.

"The plant is incredibly rare, but it is also native to areas with very specific conditions. These areas are small and uncommon on the planet, so I should be able to find one easily enough. However, there are so many of them that I'll need someone to help me carry them."

"I can do that." Matt offered.

"Okay." Shiro complied. "Just be careful."

"Up next is the planet Catanadadila."

A planet that looked fairly similar to Earth appeared, except that the land was yellow and orange, and the liquid bodies were more of a pink colour. The land also appeared to be more dominant on this planet than it was on Earth.

"This planet is made up of large caverns, and at the bottom of them there is a mineral called Canaderia. It grows like a stalagmite."

The image of a transparent stalagmite appeared. It seemed to have a rainbow reflection.

"We'll need a chunk of it powdered up. Hunk, buddy, think you can manage this one?" Pidge asked.

"If anyone can handle rocks, it's me and Yellow." Hunk proclaimed proudly.

"Good job too." Coran piped up. "Because the planet is very well known for violent tremors."

"T-tremors?" Hunk wavered slightly.

"Yellow will be tough enough to protect you." Allura ensured him with a gentle hand on his shoulder. "And we have to do this - for Lance."

Hunk rolled him shoulders and steeled himself. "For Lance."

Pidge continued: "Planet number four is Hirdayakoprakreti."

"Pidge, how are you so good at pronouncing all of these?" Hunk exclaimed.

"I'm just naturally skilled." Pidge smiled smugly as a dark planet appeared. "Hirdayakoprakreti has an atmosphere made up entirely of dark, thick clouds. The ground is dark and there are gases in the air that are fatal to Galra. Thankfully, Coran and I have been able to calculate that it is harmless to humans; it will jus constantly smell like damp."

"Lovely."

"Sounds pleasant."

"Eww, no."

The humans simultaneously groaned disgusted comments.

"Glad I'm not going there." Hunk said.

"Shiro will be though." Pidge smiled up at their leader evilly.

"What? Why?" Shiro moaned.

"Because Yellow is needed on Catanadadila and Black is the only other lion large enough to withstand the strong winds." Pidge explained happily - too happily in Shiro's opinion.

"Yay for me." Shiro sighed. "What am I getting?"

"There are luminescent mushrooms that grow on the ground." Pidge replied. "One of these is the Prakreti Lumos."

The image of a green, spotty, glowing mushroom appeared on the screen.

"This mushroom is different," Pidge continued. "Because it only lights up when touched, so you can't see it initially. They're used by the locals because can also be turned off by a touch to keep them hidden from predators. But make sure you get the right mushroom because all of the others will have violent reactions with the other ingredients."

Shiro nodded seriously to show that he fully understood the vitality of Pidge's information. Lance's life was on the line and the could NOT mess it up.

"The final planet is Sarcenognja." Pidge progressed, bringing up the image of a red planet. It just screamed 'fire and flames'. "The planet is majorly lava and is completely deadly to many lifeforms. However, Red is strong enough to withstand its temperatures as is the Red Paladin armour, so Keith, you'll have to change your style again buddy."

Keith just rolled his eyes and told Pidge to keep talking.

"You're looking for Komatiite. It's a rock, so spotting might me hard. However, I was tinkering with some scanners a few weeks back and was able to make one incredibly heat-proof. It will scan mineral contents of things. Komatiite has a very high magnesium content-"

"Wait, don't we have this stuff on Earth?" Hunk piped up.

"We do," Pidge replied, straightening her glasses. "But taking Red to Earth is too risky; you could have the Galra and the Garrison on you. Sarcenognia is unpopulated and the Galra don't have any crafts that can withstand the heat. I can only guess that the Druids got there using some advanced teleportation. Once we have all of the ingredients, the solids need to be powdered and the mixed in with the petals' juice. Once we have that, we just have to get Lance to drink it and he should begin to get better."

"In which case," Shiro spoke up. "We'll begin to get ready immediately. Everyone suit up and grab any equipment you'll need for your missions. Once you're ready, head for the Lions. We'll begin in half a varga."

* * *

Getting into the Red Paladin armour took Keith less than ten dobashes. Once he'd gotten the scanner from Pidge, he still had about fifteen dobashes before the mission, so he went back to Lance.

The first thing Keith did upon arriving at the Blue Paladin's side was to check on the venom. It had now spread across his whole chest, and has half-way along all of his limbs. There was now a cloth on his forehead - a simple touch confirmed that it was drenched with cold water. Lance was writhing and wheezing more vigorously]

;pthan he had been before. His pulse was rapid like a hummingbird's wings. Keith picked up one of Lance's hands and brought it up to his mouth.

"You have to be fine." He said aloud. "You have to live Lance, you have to stay with me, because you mean more to me than you'll ever know! You have taught me more than you'll ever understand! So you have to be here when I get back! We're going to get the ingredients for the antidote. We'll get it made and you'll be back before you know it!"

Keith was now smiling desperately and tears rolled down his cheeks.

"B-because I've already lost so much! You dragged me into your social activities and you gave me a family that I will do anything for, so you can't leave me so soon!" Keith begged. He kissed Lance's hand gently and held it to his own heart. "Do you feel it beating Lance? It's beating for you! If you die, I don't know what I'll do; I don't know how I'll be able to keep on living. When I think of the future, I think of the two of us together. I think of you coming up to me all the time and throwing your arms around me even if it annoys me. I imagine us laid out on alien meadows looking up at unfamiliar constellations and coming up with names for them. I imagine the two of us staying together forever."

Keith's breath shuddered as he used a hand to wipe away his pouring tears.

"I love you so much!" He sniffled. "I never thought that I could ever love again after losing my father, but you...you're the Blue Paladin, Guardian of Water and Ice, and yet you somehow managed to melt the icy cage I had built around me heart. Without you..."

Keith couldn't continue lest he begin bawling. He alternatively bent forwards towards Lance's face so that he could move the cloth and kiss his clammy forehead. The kiss was gentle and short, but Lance immediately relaxed and released what sounded like a sigh. Keith stared at his closed eyes, hoping to catch a glimpse of sea-blue, but his eyes remained stubbornly closed. Keith sighed disappointedly and placed a hand over Lance's heart, his other hand keeping Lance's hand at his own. He began to hum a tune which eventually turned into a song:

"When I was younger  
I saw my daddy cry  
And curse at the wind.  
He broke his own heart  
And I watched  
As he tried to reassemble it.

And my momma swore  
That she would never let herself forget,  
And that was the day that I promised  
I'd never sing of love  
If it does not exist.

But darlin', you are, the only exception,  
You are, the only exception,  
You are, the only exception,  
You are, the only exception.

Maybe I know, somewhere  
Deep in my soul  
That love never lasts,  
And we've got to find other ways  
To make it alone  
But keep a straight face.

And I've always lived like this,  
Keeping a comfortable, distance.  
And up until now  
I had sworn to myself that I'm content  
With loneliness,

Because none of it was ever worth the risk.

But you are, the only exception,  
You are, the only exception,  
You are, the only exception,  
You are, the only exception."

Keith trailed off into silence and noticed that he was now staring at his hand placed over Lance's heart. He lifted his head slightly and removed his hand. He was about to drop Lance's when he heard a weak whisper.

"K-Keith?"

Keith gasped and whipped his eyes around to meet sea-blue peeking up at him through hooded eyes. Lance's face was still filled with pain, but he also seemed a bit more peaceful as well.

"Lance!" Keith exclaimed quietly.

Lance's gaze remained focused on Keith as his face scrunched up with concentration.

"So-son..."

Lance was interrupted by a groan of pain as Keith hushed him and placed a finger over his chapped lips.

"Ssh." He whispered. "We can speak later once you're healed. We're just about to leave to get the antidote. We'll get it to you, and you'll be up and running around before you know it!"

"B-bu..." Lance attempted to speak, but he was far to fatigued. Exhaustion threatened to pull him under and he feebly tried to fight against it.

"Rest Lance." Keith implored him. "And when you wake up, we'll be here."

Lance soon succumbed to slumber and he once again fell into a fitful sleep. It was at this point that Coran came back into the infirmary. He didn't look surprised to find Keith there.

"You're better head to your Lion, Number Four." He said jollily. "The other Paladins heading to theirs now. The sooner you get back with the Komatiite, the sooner you can return to Lance."

Keith wanted to leave just as much as he wanted to stay, but his internal fight didn't last long. He bent down and placed another kiss onto Lance's forehead before replacing the damp cloth and lowering Lance's hand to lay beside his body.

"I'll see you later." He promised before turning away and heading towards the exit. He paused next to Coran and looked at him straight in the eye.

"Promise you'll look after him?" Keith begged desperately.

"Of course!" Coran replied, looking slightly offended that Keith would think otherwise. "He'll be here when you return."

"Thank you." Keith smiled gratefully and sincerely.

Keith took one final look at Lance's twitching form before steeling himself and racing off for Red.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warryn: That is Chapter Three done! Between losing and re-writing many saves, and having to some up with names for the planets and ingredients, I'd say that I have successfully managed to not stress out!  
> Keith: Liar.  
> Warryn: Oh, hush you! Anyway, the next chapter should come out next week! Also, 'The Only Exception' belongs to Paramore. I saw a beautiful Klance anamatic of the song on YouTube and thought 'it is perfect!', so it's here.
> 
> Until next time my wonderful readers!
> 
> WarrynSparklegem


	4. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allura collects her ingredient and Blue will do anything for her Cub.

Allura quickly sprinted up Blue's ramp and immediately settled herself into the pilot's seat. As soon as she grasped the flight levers, she felt a welcoming purr echo through her mind.

" _Greetings Princess."_ Blue greeted.

"Hello Blue." Allura smiled sweetly. "I'm afraid we don't have long. Lance-"

" _I know."_ Blue hummed. _"I can feel my Cub's life-force dwindling with every passing tick. We must not delay!"_

"Then we must launch immediately!" Allura commanded as she pushed the levers to get Blue to begin running.

Blue roared and pounced forwards towards her hangar door. It was already open and Blue leapt into the air and made a beeline straight for the atmosphere.

"We are heading to Hijartatavat." Allura informed the Lion. "We need to retrieve the golden scale of an imperial Hijanva. If we continue at out current speed, we will arrive there in thirty dobashes."

" _We will make it there in twenty dobashes."_ Blue growled confidently as her speed increased drastically Allura was a bit startled since she thought that Blue would not be able to match Red's speed like this! _"I can feel my Cub's pain and weakness. It frightens me! I do not wish to lose another one of my Paladins so quickly!"_

"We won't." Allura comforted her determinedly. "We will not fail your Cub; I can guarantee that."

The first time Allura had heard Blue refer to Lance as her Cub, she had been quite surprised! As far as she knew, she had not known Blaytz as her Cub, but rather as her brother. At the beginning, Allura would not have understood why such a strong bond would have formed between Blue and Lance. After all, all she had seen from him were flirts and excuses for being lazy. That was until they began to spend time together, him braiding her hair and her teaching him Altean. She began to a very different side of Lance. Every time he was complimented, he would light up as if he had just been gifted the greatest treasure ever! It was nothing to do with pride or arrogance. Rather, it was having security in knowing that he was doing a good job and that others appreciated his actions. Allura felt horrible with herself because it had taken many Movements to notice this! She had no idea that Lance felt so unconfident and unappreciated, so she made sure to point out his achievements and skills a lot more. This didn't mean that she stopped pointing out his flaws as well! Alternatively, she was gentler and calmer with her criticism, much more like a teacher than an army trainer.

And her change in her attitude towards Lance had such a huge impact on his performance! Whenever she pointed out a mistake, he would remain strong and improve almost instantly! In the past, criticism during training would make him even sloppier and clumsy! Allura observed that while Keith thrived from harsh criticism and rough, rapid training, Lance was the complete opposite. His improvement required patience and guidance, and when provided, his progress would easily match Keith's and bolster his optimism.

It was like when they had all begun training for Voltron. She had tried so hard to push them all into forming Voltron successfully by using tough and continuous training. In hindsight, she probably should have not put so much pressure on them.

" _Don't worry about that!"_ Hunk had assured her when she apologised for her actions. _"Because you made that mistake, you have now learnt how to handle our team dynamic!"_

" _Yellow's Paladin is incredibly sweet and wise."_ Blue said in reaction to Allura's thoughts. _"He is the perfect second half to my Cub's first. It is no wonder that they both make -made such a great pair of legs."_

Allura could now feel sadness fading into Blue's fond memories. She could picture Lance and Hunk laughing together whenever they supported Voltron together. She felt upset herself for breaking up such a strong and friendly team.

" _It was not your fault."_ Blue soothed her sad Princess. _"Out of all the Paladins, my Cub was the best choice for Red's Paladin's right-hand man. I am so proud of him!"_

"So am I." Allura smiled proudly along with Blue. "He has indeed come such a long way from that unconfident boy."

" _Indeed."_ Blue chuckled in reply.

Allura and Blue revelled in their memories and thoughts together until they reached the blue planet of Hijartatavat nineteen dobashes later. Allura and Blue paused to marvel at the stunning planet! It resembled a cobalt-blue marble ball with whirls of misty white mixed in. There were also darker patches where navy stood out as if they were pink instead! It was simply beautiful. The planet was also really close to its Sun, considering its large size, but thankfully, it wasn't too hot, or else Blue would not have been able to function properly.

" _No time to admire the scenery!"_ Allura shook her head to focus away from the distracting view. _"Lance needs us!"_

Allura heaved herself upon the levers, prompting Blue to nose-dive towards the planet's surface. Allura could feel the force of her descent shoving her body into the plush seat. Her brain rattled inside her skull and it felt like her eyes were trying to break through the back of her head. She endeavoured the uncomfortable speed, for this planet's waters were incredibly deep and Blue would need a very high velocity to reach the depths quicker.

They cut through the water's surface with a mighty splash that crashed around Blue's head. Allura's eyes widened once again upon her first sight of the planet's marine environment.

A school of fish-like creatures scattered in a frenzy upon Blue's invasion. They were pink with large frilly fins and orange eyes. Kinda creepy...

Allura didn't catch much of a glimpse of them though; Blue was already at the sea-bed. Her scanners indicated a pressure that would kill her if she went out unguarded, so she desperately prayed that nothing would occur for her armour to end up damaged.

Blue gently decelerated and thrust herself upright into a horizontal position. Her eyes took in the surrounding coral to survey for any dangerous lifeforms. She also scanned for any substances that were toxic for Alteans; none came up. Allura found that the view was darker than it had been nearer the surface due to the lack of sunlight.

"I have to go out Blue." Allura said, sensing Blue's reluctance to let the Princess out. "If I am to speak with the Hijanva, then they must be able to see me completely."

Blue whined as Allura stood up and headed towards the exit.

"Stay here Blue and keep your shield up." She advised as she activated her air supply and water-tight mask.

There was a tickling sensation as the water enveloped the Princess' form. She instantly felt weightless, but she also had trouble moving at the same time. She floated around for a few ticks, taking in the surroundings. The torch in her helmet turned on automatically, as did the teal symbols on her armour. The coral appeared to have a rough, spongy texture and was a bright dazzling orange. It was also covered with a meadow of long, slimy, pink seaweed. There was no doubt that this was the habitat for the fish she had seen earlier; hopefully she wouldn't meet their predators.

Allura activated her jetpack to propel forwards towards where there was a tall cliff. It was riddled with many caverns. Her subconscious hoped that this would be where the local civilians lived or frequently visited. She soon found herself at the mouth of a gaping chasm, in which the shadows never seemed to end. A brief observation with the headlight showed that no lifeforms appeared to be present, so she moved on.

Allura decided to try swimming upwards towards the top of the cliff; it was more likely that she would fins a settlement there. Before she could reach the ledge however, she heard - or rather, felt - the vibrations from a terrifying snarl. She whipped around and laid eyes on a giant eel! Its body was stretched, lean and slimy! Electricity crackled around its body, which was a dark-grey. It was positively disgusting with an even more hideous head! The head and snout were pointed, and long daggers peeked out of its closed mouth. They looked yellow and cracked after years of use! But worst of all were the eyes - foggy and white, they wad no pupil or iris. Its head was swaying from side to side in the water, looking directly ahead.

Allura couldn't help but gasp at the ghastly creature before her. As soon as she did, the creature's head snapped upwards towards where Allura was floating.

' _Of course!"_ Allura realised. _'Its eyesight is poor, so it relies of smells and sounds - and I just gave away my position!'_

The creature darted forwards with such a speed that Allura barely had time to move out of its way! Electricity fired from its body and only just singed her Paladin armour. Its movement past her sent a rush of force that pushed her backwards and sent her spiralling out of control! As soon as she gained the slightest bit of focus, she turned around and dashed away as swiftly as possible...away from Blue. The creature was alerted by her speedy exit and slithered after her. Allura was panting with so much fear and exhaustion that she didn't dare to look back. She could only concentrate on her path as she tried to find somewhere to hide.

But there was nowhere. The cliff was behind her, and below her was only coral. If the fish lived in it, as she suspected, then she could not endanger them. Instead, she attempted to swim upwards and loop herself in the opposite direction above her hunter.

' _Well, it's worth a shot.'_ Allura reasoned.

Allura drew in a deep breath and, once the creature was just about to bite at her, propelled herself upwards and swam in the opposite direction. The eel snapped its jaws closed and kept on swimming forwards until it realised that its mouth was empty. It slowed down and nodded its head until it heard Allura's frantic swimming and turned around. Allura was panting so hard that the glass of her helmet was beginning to mist over. But despite her attempts to calm her breathing and terror, she found herself only worrying more. She came to the cliff again and tried to swim upwards but reeled back when the monster's head appeared above her instead and its tail curled up from beneath.

She was trapped.

Allura gasped loudly as she found herself about to be surrounded by the creature's gaping mouth. She began to think of her Father - of how she had failed him in not being able to avenge him and their planet. She thought of her Paladins, Shiro in particular. She thought of how she was about to leave them without another leader again. She vaguely thought about how painful her death was going to be; those sharp teeth would easily tear through her armour and skewer her like...kebab? Were those the skewered meats that Hunk spoke of so fondly?

Either way, it didn't matter now. Death approached.

It approached with a wailing...a very high-pitched wailing.

Wait, that wailing...it was familiar.

The creature suddenly recoiled from its attack and began writhing around as if in pain. Allura gaped and turned to see Blue floating close by with her sonic canon primed. The high frequencies of its emitted waves ware so painful for a creature that relied solely on sound! The monster retreated into its cave with a pained screech while Allura sagged in relief.

"Blue!" Allura sighed with a grateful smile and turned to her Lion. "Thank you!"

" _My Cub would be most upset if his Sister was gobbled and digested."_ Blue purred in reply with amusement. She was a joker, just like her Paladin.

Allura then noticed movement out of the corner of her eye and spun to face her adversary with her Bayard raised.

She came face-to-face with a pointed weapon, very similar to a spear. The figure holding it appeared humanoid. Well, the top half, at least. The lower half took the form of a fish tail. It was long and tough with powerful muscles, and the scales of which they were covered were bold in colour. They had large fins and were covered with large frills. The upper half was covered in some sort of leathery material, designed to act as armour. The face was visible, and the one holding the weapon appeared to be female. Her company appeared to be a mix of males and females, and all of them wore armour and aimed weapons at her.

"State your business and intentions!" The closest female demanded. This must be their captain.

"I am Princess Allura of Altea." Allura replied, holding herself regally and properly. She was now in the presence of the planet's inhabitants and must be completely diplomatic. "One of my Paladins has fallen ill to the Nigrum Sanguis and the antidote requires a golden scale from a Hijanva."

The younger-looking guards all gasped when Allura mentioned the Hijanva, but the captain's eyes only hardened.

"Those who have come seeking the Hijanva before have only wanted to take them so that they may take our home." The captain hissed coldly. Her purple eyes were steel beneath a few strands of green and turquoise hair. "Why should we believe your words?"

"These creatures who have come for the Hijanva before..." Allura inquired. "Who were they?"

"What should we know of our enemies?" The captain growled. "They came so suddenly that we were hardly prepared! Thankfully, they were unfit to survive in our waters. You should have seen how fear struck the malice from their putrid yellow eyes!"

"Yellow eyes," Allura began. "And purple hair...all over their bodies?"

All the guards flinched, and the captain raised her spear so that it was nearly touching her neck.

"You know of them?" The captain asked angrily.

"They are the Galra." Allura replied with a similar anger. "They destroyed my home planet of Altea. They are my and my Paladins' enemies."

"And why should we believe you?"

Allura smiled almost cunningly. "Tell me, uhâ€¦"

"Captain Florea Merqua." The cap - Captain Florea supplied.

"Tell me Captain Florea Merqua; have you ever heard of Voltron?"

The other guards all gasped and began to whisper amongst themselves.

"Voltron?"

"As in the fairy-tale?"

"There's no way!"

"Voltron?" Florea scoffed. "A myth and nothing more."

"No, you are wrong." Allura said. "I lead Voltron alongside the Black Paladin, and I am the current pilot of the Blue Lion."

As Allura spoke, Blue glided closer so that she was directly behind her Princess like a loyal bodyguard. The guards finally noticed Blue and looked up to her and quivered in disbelief. Florea, too, looked a little surprised. She still seemed reluctant, but she also submitted to the evidence before her.

"Very well then." She conceded, lowering her weapon to her side. "You will follow us."

The group turned and began to swim away. Florea stalled for a bit so that Allura could catch up. Blue swam behind them obediently...hopefully to the Hijanva.

* * *

After maybe a varga, they finally came across a colony built into the rockface of a trench. The floor of the trench served as their farming grounds and merfolk swam to and fro in urgent scurrying. Some younger ones swam around in circles as they played with each other. Allura was so amazed! She looked around with a gaping mouth and admired just how colourful the local species was! Their hair and scales were made up of every shade of every colour Allura knew of.

There was also a large, peculiar rock just outside of a large cave at the end of the trench. Allura couldn't see why it was considered important but decided not to ask. After all, everything about a different species and culture will be weird. Take her human Paladins, for example! They would sometimes close their eyes and then jerk forwards, making the most disgusting and painful sound! She was told that it was a natural instinct meant to keep pathogens out of their bodies, but that didn't make it any less revolting!

It wasn't long before Florea pointed to a clear patch of ground near the other end of the trench.

"You may leave your Lion there." She said.

"Go wait for me there Blue." Allura ordered. "And keep your shield up while I'm absent."

Blue did as she was instructed and settled herself down with her shield up. Many of the locals crowded around her, pointing and whispering excitedly.

"This way." Florea gestured for Allura to follow her down the largest opening at the end of the trench.

Allura expected that the tunnels would be bare and resemble the caves that the monster lived in, but instead, she was astonished to see that the architecture inside was both ingenious and stunning!

In contrast to the grey rock outside, the inside had been carved to reveal an inner core looked like smooth marble! The walkway - or swimway? - was lined with purple seaweed that danced from side to side. The chamber was illuminated by crystals in the ceiling and pink seaweed was used in place of curtains to separate the tunnel from the main chamber beyond.

"Wait here." Florea ordered before passing through the barrier.

Allura floated patiently for a while as murmurs flowed from the other side. The lingering worry that had disappeared with all the adrenaline hit her again at full force. Would the Hijanva really let her have a golden scale? Would the cure even work?

" _Green's and Yellow's Paladins are very adept."_ Blue assured her. _"They would not make any mistakes regarding my Cub's health."_

' _I know_." Allura replied. _'But we don't know if the Druids even provided the correct antidote!'_

" _We can worry about that if we ever come to it."_ Blue said.

Before Allura could be vexed again, the seaweed drew back as Florea returned. She held the drapes aside so that a gorgeous female could join them. Her dark blue hair shone like silver and floated behind her like a cloak. She was gifted with piercing pink eyes that accompanied her pale skin; skin that was adorned by dark purple swirls and markings. Her shoulders were broader, draped in armour like the guards, except that she also had a short cloak (Allura didn't know what it was made of) trailing behind her. Her tail was a mix of Juniberry-pink and lavender-purple and was longer than the others' tails. The fins were also wider. There were no golden scales.

"Welcome, Princess Allura of Altea." She welcomed the Princess regally. Her voice was deep and warm - almost comforting. "I am Geofornya Ariska, leader of the Poinika Tribe. I hear that you have come seeking a golden scale from a Hijanva."

"Yes Miss." Allura replied respectfully. This earned her an amused - but still kind - smile.

"Just Geofornya will suffice Princess."

"Thank you Geofornya." Allura smiled politely. "I am afraid that I do not have much time to explain! One of my Paladins was poisoned by the Nigrum Sanguis during our last mission against the Galra, and the antidote requires a golden scale. Forgive me for being impatient, but I am already low on time."

"I suppose that you have already figured out that I am a Hijanva." Geofornya stated. Allura didn't know what to make of the statement, so she acted honestly.

"Yes." She confirmed. "I was just a little bit confused because..."

Allura decided to trail off because she didn't want to sound rude or doubtful. Geofornya laughed slightly when she saw Allura's discomfort and took some pity on the poor Princess.

"My golden scales can only be acquired for those who are worthy." She explained. "Something so valuable must be intended for someone equally as valuable. We have had many come before to take my kin's golden scales for profit and decoration. Even these 'Galra', as you have named them, have come for them to show off to the rest of the Universe."

"Emperor Zarkon is the best example for the lowest form of scum in the Universe." Allura spat angrily. How dare the Galra threaten such a wonderful creature merely for its worth? "He will never rest until the entire Universe lays in the palm of his hand. So, I too shall never rest until his palm is completely empty."

"Yes, Florea told me that your 'Voltron' is rebelling against the Galra." Geofornya nodded in understanding. "Do you really believe that you can fight against such a strong and malicious force?"

"Only if we can save Lance." Allura replied gravely. "Without him, we wouldn't be able to form Voltron."

"He does indeed sound like a valuable soul," Geofornya commented. "But I shall need proof of such value. Follow me please, Princess."

Geofornya swam towards the outside of her chamber with Allura and Florea in tow. When she was back out in the open, she could see that the Poinikans were still goggling at Blue. Geofornya also paused slightly when she saw the Lion on her doorstep, but swiftly moved on. She led them to the peculiar stone that Allura had spotted earlier. She and Florea pushed at the top of it. The top slid off like a lid and tipped down into the sand. Allura's eyes widened when she saw the contents.

Inside the rock basin was a pearly-white substance that didn't dissolve of float away with the sea. Shimmers ran through it like waves and it released a gentle glow that felt soothing and loving.

"What is this?" Allura asked in an awed whisper.

"This is the Atminas Ekrans." Florea replied. "It allows memories to be shown in plain sight."

"I wish for you to show us this Paladin of yours." Geofornya explained. "The ways by which he lives will determine whether or not he is worthy of a golden scale."

By now, the Poinikans had lost interest in the Blue Lion and were now crowding around to witness the memories.

"What do I do?" Allura asked.

"Simply place your hand in the Atminas Ekrans while you bring up the desired memories." Geofornya replied, gesturing towards the white substance with her hand. "It is completely harmless!"

Allura floated closer determinedly and placed her hand into the basin with no further questions. She could feel the thickness and weight of the liquid and found it rather comfortable. She could also feel cold seeping in through her glove.

"Focus." Geofornya instructed. "Show us your Lance."

So Allura brought up every memory of Lance that she could think of. She brought up the time when Coran told her that Lance had saved him from the bomb. She thought of the time where he braided her hair and called her his sister. She remembered his playful smiles and actions. She showed them his seriousness during missions and training. She showed them all just how much he cared for them, and how much they cared for him. She finished by showing them what the Nigrum Sanguis had reduced him to. She showed them his agonised writhing and wheezes, his ashen and drenched skin. It had felt like she'd been reminiscing for hours, even though it had only been many ticks. Surely this must be enough!

"I can see that he is important to you all." Geofornya said. "But I need something more! What about him makes him a part of your team that no one else can replace? What makes him a unique Paladin?"

Allura blanched and hesitated.

Unique?

Well, he was brave and tactical...just like Keith and Shiro were.

Well, he was funny and caring...but so were Hunk and Coran.

He was witty!

But so was Pidge.

Allura could feel the cold tendrils of terror squeeze around her heart as she realised that she could think of nothing! She had failed!

However, Blue cut in before she could answer Geofornya's request. She felt the Blue Lion nuzzle her mind desperately to receive her attention. Allura turned to the Lion to show her that she had it.

" _I want to show them my Cub."_ Blue declared. _"Let me show them!"_

Allura turned back to Geofornya.

"The Blue Lion wishes to show you her memories of the Blue Paladin." She announced.

"Then allow them to travel through you." Geofornya conceded.

Blue dropped her shield and approached them. She knelt so that Allura could place her free hand onto her metal casing. Allura inhaled sharply as she felt the memories rush through her, and knew that what she saw, the Poinikans could see too.

* * *

_I have been alone for such a long time._

_For ten thousand years, I have sat beneath the ground, waiting for my Paladin to find me._

_I have felt a fiery presence nearby for months now. It comes and goes often, but never finds me. They are not mine; I know that. The fiery and reckless soul would better fit my Red Sister._

_So, I keep on waiting..._

_And waiting._

_Until, one day, I feel not only fire, but also nature, order, rock and water._

_My Paladin! My Paladin has finally arrived!_

_Then five humans fall to me from above._

_I recognise Red's immediately. His eyes are just as fiery as his soul. He is undoubtedly the right hand. Yellow's is just as strong and comforting as he is. He is the perfect left leg. Green's is small and agile and is undoubtedly just as unique and intelligent as a left hand. Black's is strong and caring, but he is also tactical and wise. He is the head._

_And mine is..._

_He's so beautiful..._

_And so perfect._

_He looks up at me with amazement and excitement. I can feel his soul; just like an ocean, it is both gentle and raging. It is both endless and deep with beauty and hidden secrets. I welcome him warmly when he enters, and he instantly accepts my bond as if we were fated to meet._

' _He is now mine.' I think. 'And I am now his.'_

* * *

_We fight through many battles and share many victories. Despite all lows, my Paladin remains high. He laughs and smiles for his teammates and sings for me often._

_He comes most days with a bucket, brush and sponge. He will scrub my back, belly and head, all while moaning about how dirty I have gotten and claiming that I deserve to be the cleanest and most well-cared for out of all the Lions. He will also tap along to some songs he hums. He likes to sing in his native language, which I find to be so pretty and fitting for my Paladin._

_But most of all, I love his smiles, and his child-like innocence. I always feel the urge to hold him forever and keep him close to me. Letting him go always makes me sad, but I know that he is eager to meet with his friends._

_So I let him go. I let him be happy, because he is so precious to me. His is so much like my own child, my Cub._

_No. He IS my Cub!_

_And I will never let any harm befall him!_

* * *

_My Cub is sad._

_And that makes me sad._

_He has been sad for many days, so sad that it is painful. I just want to whine loudly, but I must remain strong so that I can support my Cub, just like how he supports my Siblings' Paladins._

_My Cub is sat in his seat, curled up in a blanket. He came in with it draped around his shoulders as he held a pillow to his chest. He sniffles and drops of water fall down his face. I do not know much about humans, but I can figure out that this is a sign that my cub is truly distraught._

" _What is wrong, my Cub?" I ask. "You have been in such an agonised state for many days!"_

_My Cub rubs his face._

" _I..." He stutters. It breaks my heart. "It's just been a few hard days Blue."_

" _Does my Cub wish to talk about it?"_

_My Cub is silent for a while._

_Then he speaks._

" _I suppose I've just been feeling a bit lonely recently." He admits. "Did you ever feel lonely? Back on Earth, you waited ten thousand years for me."_

" _And I would have waited another ten thousand for you, my Cub." I firmly assure him. My Paladin is so precious, and yet he continues to believe that his worth is not as great as those he works with!_

" _I don't know what I would do without you Blue." My Cub whispers with a trembling voice. "Back on Earth, I was surrounded by so many people. There would always be noise and action. Even when we slept, the crashing of the waves and the rustling of the leaves would fill the room. Here though, it's just so...quiet. It unnerves me, but I don't feel lonely because I can always sense that you're with me!"_

" _My Cub also provides great company and comfort." I purr. "My Cub is the best."_

_My Cub is silent for a while. He takes in a shuddering breath._

" _What about your old Paladin?" He asks. "You must really miss him."_

_I whine as I recall my Blaytz. He, as my first Paladin, had been so close to me. He was more like my Brother than my Cub. He was so outgoing and confident, and he would always flatter those who did not flatter themselves. He managed to spread joy, just like my Cub. However, they are both so different. My Cub, having grown up on a planet ignorant to the Universe, was so curious to see everything that he could, and everything he saw made his eyes light up brighter than all the stars! He found everything beautiful and was eager to drag his fellow Paladins to admire them as well. He was particularly determined to get Red's Paladin to join him, but he takes a lot of convincing. My Paladin is so kind. He wants everyone to be in his family. He truly does hate being alone._

" _Blaytz was unfathomably precious to me." I admit. "He was my first Paladin. He was the first to fly me, to fight with me, to sit in my seat. He was the first to compliment me and sing to me."_

_My Cub's face falls slightly at my words._

" _But," I continue. "He was not the first sleep with me. He was not the first give me hope after such a long time of loneliness. He did not make me feel such maternal love. He did not insist on bringing together a group of lonely misfits to form the greatest and strongest family in the Universe. He was not you, and you are not him. You are my Cub, and, as much as I loved Blaytz, I would never trade you for him. He wanted me to be happy, and he would be pleased to know that you make me so."_

_My Cub's eyes glimmer with more tears, but this time, I can feel less sadness and more joy._

" _You make me happy." I conclude. "And I want to make you happy too. So tell me, Lance, what troubles you?"_

_This is the first time I have ever used his name._

_Lance._

_My Cub is mildly surprised and pleased to hear me call him by his name. His resolve softens, and he sighs._

" _Do you remember that ship we went to a few days ago?" He asks me quietly._

_I purr._

" _Well, I...there was a Galra soldier. Not one of those robotic sentries. I mean a real-life, flesh-and-blood Galra. He went for Pidge, and I froze, and then she got hurt! And I had to...I had to..."_

_My Cub is unable to finish his words, but I can tell what troubles him._

" _Taking life is never easy." I say. "Black has told me of his Paladin. He often suffers from nightmares about the times when he had to take lives."_

" _But I still hate it!" My Cub yells in distress. "I hate it! I hate myself!"_

" _No!" I protest. "You should not hate yourself! You protected your teammate above all else. Your family is safe because of you."_

" _But what about his family?" My cub argues. "That Galra...I wonder what his family must be thinking? I wonder how they reacted at the news that they had lost him. Did they scream? Did they cry? Did they call for my death? Do you think they're still grieving, even now?"_

_I sigh. My Cub's value for all life is both his greatest asset and his greatest curse. He truly does not belong in the middle of a war, but he is a reminder that all life is precious. He makes sure that the Paladins all lead their own lives outside of the battlefield and the training deck._

" _You should not feel about yourself so badly." I tell my Cub. "It is good that you saved your teammate, but it is better that you feel guilt. This means that, despite finding Green's Paladin's life more valuable, you still value the Galra's life."_

" _Isn't that bad though? That I value the lives of our enemies?"_

" _Mercy is not an evil, nor is it a weakness." I assure him. "In fact, your mercy is what I love most about you. I love how much you value lives. My only disappointment is that you find little value in your own life."_

_My Cub does not deny it._

" _Is it not true though?" My Cub says. "My life is not as valuable as the others'. Out of everyone, my life has indeed been the happiest, and I would gladly lay down my life to ensure that they all can live to find their own happiness again. I want Pidge to find her family. I want Allura, Coran and Shiro to find closure after all that they have lost. I want Hunk to be able to return home and fulfil his dreams."_

" _What about your dreams, my Cub?"_

" _My only dream is for everyone to be happy." My Cub smiles sadly._

" _Oh, my Cub." I sigh. "What did we do to deserve you?"_

_My Cub remains silent, but he smiles. I am happy._

" _You're amazing Blue." My Cub grins. "I honestly don't know what I would do without you. I can't imagine how I would feel without you with me. Wowâ€¦I even pity Zarkon! He must really miss Black. No wonder he's so cuckoo."_

" _I do not understand half of the things you say, my Cub, but they still amuse me greatly!" I laugh._

" _I'm glad." My Cub giggles before yawning loudly. "Would you mind if I stayed here for the night?"_

" _Of course not, my Cub." I purr contentedly. I dim my lights so that my Cub can lay his seat back and settle down to sleep._

" _Hey Blue, could you-"_

" _Of course, my Cub."_

_I fill the cockpit with the sound of waves and squawking birds. My Cub loves the sounds from his home planet. I watch as my Cub smiles and his eyes droop shut. Before long, he is sleeping soundly, and I watch over him throughout the night._

_My Cub has no nightmares._

* * *

" _Well, Old Blue, we sure had some fun adventures, didn't we? I wanted to stay with you, but, sometimes, what we want isn't necessarily what we get. I'm gonna miss you, buddy."_

_I whine. I do not want my Cub to leave me, but I have no choice. Ever since Black's Paladin disappeared, Voltron has been dormant. Now that Black has chosen Red's Paladin, my Cub has had to move to Red. The Princess is to be my new Paladin. While I do love the Princess, she is not my Cub. I shall concede so that Voltron can form. The sooner Black's Paladin returns, the sooner my Cub can return to me._

* * *

When the bond faded away, Allura returned to feel tears streaming down her cheeks. Blue loved Lance so much! And he loved her too, just like how he loved them all. They were a family held together by Lance's love and desire to value everyone.

Speaking of which...

Geofornya, along with many of the Poinikans including Florea, had similar gleams in their eyes.

"Your Paladin..." Geofornya whispers. She then clears her throat and straightens. "Empathy and loyalty are two characteristics which I value greatly, and his sacrifices are indeed noble! Our Universe would truly be a darker place without him. I doubt that the power of my sacrifice can amount to his."

Geofornya rubbed her hand over the scales near her waist. One of them began to glow brighter and brighter until the pink had completely given way to gold. Allura smiled and breathed in relief. Once the scale was fully revealed, Geofornya gripped the end of it tightly and firmly yanked it from her body with a grunt. A trail of brown blood flowed from the wound, but she paid no mind to it. She instead turned to Allura and handed her the scale.

"Go and save your Paladin Princess." She said. "Your Voltron seems to be an incredible entity piloted by incredible people. I would greatly like for you to return to Hijartatavat someday so that we may be allies."

Allura smiled back.

"I shall." She promised. "I would be honoured if your people joined the Voltron Coalition so that we may stand firmly together against the Galra."

Geofornya smiled back determinedly and gestured for her to board her Lion. Allura entered Blue and they began to head towards the surface while the Poinikans all cheered and waved as they left. The transition from the water to the air made Allura squint due to the sudden brightness. Blue was able to continue flying straight and true while Allura adjusted herself to the light once again. The two were soon out of the atmosphere and well on their way back to the Castle.

"I did not know that Lance felt such a way." Allura said sadly after a while. "I also did not realise just how precious you are to each other."

" _The relationship between a Mother and her Cub is one that is hard to grasp."_ Blue said. _"I forgive you for not being able to understand. But Princess, do not believe that what you have learned make you think that I love you less. I still love you, my Princess, and I am happy to have you as my Paladin. We would not have been able to form Voltron if this was not true."_

"I know you do love me Blue." Allura reassured her. "And I will help you too. I want to show my Brother that he is indeed valuable, starting with his recovery."

" _Yes." Blue agreed. "My Cub shall be happy and well. And then, we can all be happy."_

As they returned to the Castle, Allura hoped that the other Paladins were faring well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keith: How could Lance think that!?  
> Warryn: Well, maybe he'll feel better once he knows that you love him.  
> Keith: (Glares) And for that to happen, you have to make him better first!  
> Warryn: Of course! Of course I'll make him better! Or will I?  
> Keith: (Grabs me by the collar and drags me forwards) You had better.  
> Warryn: Yeesh! I guess some things stay the same in every season.  
> Keith: What is that supposed to mean!?  
> Friend: (Rushes in) It's amazing! Now get Chapter Five out!  
> Warryn: I'll need to write it first! And with mock exams this week, I'll need to conserve my time more effectively!  
> Friend: (Pouts with the puppy eyes)  
> Warryn: (Sighs) I'll get it out next weekend. (It's actually already out.)  
> Friend: HOORAY!  
> Warryn: Next chapter will be either Hunk or Pidge. It was really fun going into the Blue Lion's perspective for what she thinks about Lance. I will definitely do this for Red as well, and possibly the other lions. As you can now tell, Mercy is a part of this timeline. So, since Mercy had a lot of Lance bonding with Shiro, I don't think I'll give Shiro a 'Lance Appreciation Flashback' unless you all really want to see more Space-Dad Shiro. (SPOILER: there will be.)  
> Anyway, as I mentioned earlier, I have also binge-watched Season 5, and IT. IS. AWESOME! Seriously, if you have not seen it yet, I would highly recommend it! We finally get some answers and some…satisfying background facts on some specific characters. However, since I started this fic before this information was revealed, my head canons will remain the same.
> 
> Happy watching, happy reading, and I look forward to writing for you again!
> 
> Until next time my wonderful readers,
> 
> WarrynSparklegem


	5. Friendships

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt and Pidge collect their ingredient while dealing with the local pests.

Matt held on tightly to Pidge's chair as she urged Green onwards. Pidge was rather frustrated because it would take no shorter than a varga to reach Kardiastistaxis, so she pushed Green to fly as quickly as he could. Matt was jerked left and right, but he voiced no complaints. After all, he, too, was eager to save Lance's life. During the short amount of time he had spent on the Castle, Matt felt like he had grown closer to everyone. He'd already known Shiro and Keith from before Kerberos, and it was a delight to see them again! In Hunk, he found a kindred spirit. Both would often throw ideas to one another. As a result, much of the technology that they used had been upgraded.

The Princess had also been very accommodating to Pidge's brother. She'd welcomed him with little questioning and was pleased to have another bright mind working for Voltron. While she had seemed a little bit uncomfortable when Matt had first greeted her (Matt was still a wee bit embarrassed about that), his flirting was far less frequent than Lance's, so she was able to open up to him sooner. Coran was also ecstatic to have another human on board! At first, Coran had been rather insistent on knowing about Matt's anatomy and lifestyle on Earth so that he could better understand humans. Because, ultimately, he was the Castle medic.

Then there was Lance.

Lance had avoided him for quite a while when he arrived. This disappointed Matt because, out of everyone Katie had told him about, Lance was the one he wanted to meet the most. Pidge had spoken enthusiastically about her Space Brother, with whom she would goof off and play video games. Matt had laughed when he heard about their fist trip to the Space Mall.

" _You'd better not tell mum that you were taking money from a fountain!" Matt laughed. "Do you know how many wishes those were?"_

" _My needs take priority!" Pidge pouted. "I'm a Defender of the Universe, and I'm not even paid for it!"_

Matt looked at his sister and sighed sadly. Katie refused to take her eyes away from the (metaphorical) road ahead. Her mouth was a thin, tight line and her eyes were lasers. It if was scientifically possible, she could have just cut a hole in the fabric of time and space and reached Kardiastistaxis in a heartbeat! But, unfortunately, they were stuck in reality. Matt knew better than to try to bring up a conversation. When Katie Holt had her mind set, she would not be moved - and God help anyone who tried to drag her from her work. In fact, Lance was the only one with enough guts to pull her from her computer! Matt had once done that when they were children. Pidge ended up giving him a sharp kick in the...um ahem...and he consequently refrained from making such attempts again in order to keep his physical form unharmed.

Matt had heard that Lance was incredibly friendly and too trusting at times, so why had he avoided him? Whenever Matt was hanging out with Pidge and Hunk, he would spot Lance looking at them from a doorway. Matt would then turn to him with a smile and wave. Lance would force a small smile onto his own face and give a weak wave before slinking off to God knows where. This had left Matt incredibly confused, and he never fully understood what he'd done wrong until Pidge's 'Week of Dread' came around.

* * *

" _I hate this!" Pidge moaned pathetically from where she was curled up on her bed._

" _I know." Matt told her from where he sat beside her._

" _It's too hot!" She whined._

" _I can always turn on the air conditioning." Matt offered._

" _But then it would be too cold!"_

_Matt resisted the urge to groan. He was now sort of thankful that he had been abducted before Pidge's first period had come around! His sister had been whiny and nagging when they were children, but this was a hundred times worse! What was he supposed to do?_

" _Matt?"_

_Pidge's voice was muffled by her pillow._

" _Yeah Pidge?"_

" _Did I mention that I hate this?"_

_Matt was literally this close to tearing out his hair! How was it possible for a man to contain enough patience to deal with this!? He thought that the Galra had been bad, but no - this was worse!_

" _Oh Dio, per favore dammi la forza!" Matt begged from behind his hands._

_A second later, his prayers were answered!_

" _Hey Gremlin!"_

_Lance sauntered into the Green paladin's bedroom casually and plopped himself by Pidge's feet._

" _Lance, my body hates me!" Pidge whined, lifting her head from her pillow and arching her neck. "I feel hot and itchy and my stomach is going to explode!"_

" _Well, where's the stuff I gave you?" Lance raised an eyebrow._

_Pidge frowned, beginning to get rather annoyed._

" _I don't know! I had the heat bag with me in Green's hangar and my shirt is lost somewhere!" Pidge cried out._

_The sudden outburst was so loud and unexpected from the small child that Matt almost fell out of his seat! Lance, too, leant back a bit to escape from Pidge's wrath._

" _Then we'll find them!" Matt assured her comfortingly._

" _You'd better." Pidge moaned as she flopped back into her pillow. She then raised her head again like a yawning cat. "Being a girl sucks!"_

_The two boys scrambled from the room so quickly that Lance almost tripped over one of Pidge's experiments! They flung themselves out of the doorway and sighed in relief when the door closed._

" _Bontà gentile! Lei è un incubo!" Matt grumbled._

" _Hey, be nice!" Lance chastised the older male. "I'll have you know that what she is going through is pure torture!"_

" _I know! She said so a thousand times!" Matt said as he picked himself up off the floor. "But I never knew that it was that bad!"_

" _Well, luckily for me, I have had quite a bit of experience!" Lance grinned cheekily as he stood up as well._

_Matt froze. Experience? The phrase made the elder Holt feel a little uncomfortable and protective - perhaps borderline disturbed!_

" _What do you mean by experience?" He asked the Latino warily._

" _I have four younger siblings." Lance replied, oblivious to Matt's discomfort. "Three of my sisters all hit puberty before I left for the Garrison."_

_Internally, Matt sighed with relief. He had known some guys who would go around from girl to girl, picking them up, dating them for a while, and dumping them as soon as they saw someone far more attractive. Hunk had told him that, while he was a flirter, Lance would never break a girl's heart! It was uplifting to know that there were still some decent guys out there._

" _Anyway," Lance turned to Matt. "I'll go find Pidge's shirt and you go grab her heater from the hangar."_

" _What shirt exactly?" Matt inquired. His sister was fully dressed, so what shirt could she need?_

" _It's made of some alien fabric that accommodates for her body temperature." Lance explained. "It's also reeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaally soft! So, Pidge has claimed it for her 'Week of Doom'. It's probably gotten caught up in the pile of washed clothes downstairs."_

" _Katie is always being spoiled." Matt commented, remembering all of the times when he and his father had doted on the energetic and bossy child._

" _Well, yeah! She deserves it!" Lance insisted with a caring tone._

_Matt was now looking at Lance intensely. The amount of fondness and devotion in Lance's voice was rather surprising regarding his sister! When Hunk talked about Pidge, his tone was one that held admiration. Shiro's and Coran's held pride, and Allura and Keith always sounded impressed! But Lance...he sounded more...more..._

_Lance seemed to talk about Katie, not just as his genius teammate, but more as his precious sister. For a moment, Matt wasn't sure what he was feeling. Jealousy? Gratefulness? Sadness? Happiness? It was hard for him to pinpoint a single emotion coursing through him, but he knew one thing for sure; Lance loved Pidge, and Pidge loved Lance. Obviously, it wasn't a romantic attachment, or else Matt would have given the Blue Paladin a rather long and angry shovel talk._

" _By the way," Lance called out just before they separated ways. "You're looking for a pink hippo-looking casing."_

_Lance raced off before Matt could question the cover choice. Pink hippo?_

_Matt decided to add the notion to his growing list of 'Odd Things About My Sister', which had grown exponentially since their reunion. Katie was very different - a good different, but still slightly odd._

Being the Green Paladin has really changed her. _Matt thoughtfully observed._ She's more confident than she used to be, and stronger as well! I still can't believe she managed to liberate the Castle from the Galra practically alone!

_Despite being currently annoyed by his sister's hormonal rage and self-pity, Matt couldn't put out the blaze of pride that burned in his chest. There was no doubt in his mind that she would soon find Dad as well._

_Upon reaching Green's hangar, Matt began to scour the enormous room for the heat bag but had no such luck. After half a varga, Matt finally fell to his knees, exhausted and desperate._

" _Where is that stupid heater!?" He growled towards the ceiling._

_Matt suddenly felt a poking at his mind. It was forceful, but in a gentle way. It felt soothing...almost loving and...amused? Why were they amused? Then came the purring. Matt was slightly confused. Why was there a cat in his mind?_

...

" _GREEN!?" Matt suddenly screeched. He could swear that the Lion was giggling at him. "This isn't funny!"_

" _I apologise," Green's voice rumbled in his mind. "But I believe that you are looking for Pidge's high-po in all of the wrong places."_

_Matt blanched for a second. Pidge had said that the Lions could communicate with their Paladins in their minds, but he never imagined that one would actually talk to him!_

" _Uh, it's pronounced hip-oh." Matt corrected politely. "And - not that I'm complaining or being rude - but why are you talking to me? I thought that the Lions only spoke to their Paladins!"_

" _We talk to those to whom we are strongly bonded to." Green explained. "And, as my Paladin's brother, you and I are strongly bonded. Every time Pidge connected with me, you and your father have always been in the back of her mind."_

" _Oh..._

_Matt suddenly felt melancholy and guilty. For so long, Katie had been tearing herself apart to find him and their father. He'd been told that she would sometimes stay awake for hours on end, searching through thousands of lines of stolen data to find them. He regrets being taken now, because, as a result, both Pidge and their mother had been irreparably broken. If he hadn't disappeared, she would never have been lonely, or lost. She never would have..._

_She never would have become a Paladin of Voltron. Voltron was a beacon of hope in the Universe as they saved multiple planets and races from the Galra and their tyrannical actions. They were keeping the Universe - Earth included - safe._

_But was that really for the best?_

" _I can feel your doubt." Green purred soothingly. "You should have no regrets! I could not wish for a better Paladin! And Pidge has confided in me that she is eternally grateful for the friends she has made on her journey as a Paladin!"_

" _But is it really for the best?" Matt questioned. "She is still just a child! She's in a war! And she was fighting long before she found me! What if...what if all of this had broken her?"_

_Green's voice rumbled with laughter._

" _Pidge insists that her strength lies in her intellect and skills with technology," He said. "But, in reality, her strength comes from the support she gets from her friends, and Blue's Cub has been the most supportive."_

" _Lance." Matt confirmed. It was no question. "Pidge told me that he'd looked after her."_

" _I remember how once he had lifted her from the ground and dragged her from my hangar to eat and sleep!" Green reminisced. "I couldn't understand many of the words that she'd yelled, but I believe that it is better if it remains that way. He truly does keep our team alive and well."_

_Green's words did not eliminate Matt's doubt. After all, she was his baby sister, and war was dangerous! But he also felt reassured. As long as he, along with Lance and Hunk and everyone else, looked after Pidge, then all would be well. Speaking of which..._

" _You said that you knew where her hippo was." Matt reminded the Lion._

" _Yes, I did." Green affirmed. "Pidge left it in her seat. "I'll let you in to retrieve it."_

_Accompanied by groaning metal and strenuous rumbles, Green lowered his head to the ground and opened his mouth to allow entry. Matt leapt to his feet and sprinted up the ramp. It felt weird entering Green without Pidge, but he pushed back that feeling as he reached the seat. There, nestled in the cushion, was a fluffy pink hippo. Well, the ears were slightly more curled, and the eyes were sharper, but he couldn't deny that there was some resemblance to the grey predator back on Earth. Matt grabbed the heater and ran back out._

" _Thanks Green!" He yelled as he ran for the exit._

_He could feel Green purr a farewell to him as he exited the hangar. It took him a few dobashes to reach Pidge's room. He entered silently and froe to take in the scene before him._

_Pidge had swapped her green top and brown trousers for a long shirt which seemed to be made of some stretchy silk-like material. It was lavender and came down to her mid-thighs. She was currently curled up with Green Lion slippers engulfing her feet. She also had a spoon in her mouth and was hugging a jar to her chest possessively. Lance was sat right next to her, one arm slung comfortingly around her shoulder. He looked up when Matt entered and smiled._

" _Heya Matt." He greeted jollily. "Did you find it?"_

_Matt smiled triumphantly and presented his findings._

" _Yesh!" Pidge cried happily around the spoon in her mouth. She unwrapped one arm from around her jar and reached out for her heater. "Gimmee!"_

_Matt handed over the hippo with no hesitation and was pleased when Pidge held it to her abdomen and sighed contentedly. She then laid back continued to suckle on her spoon._

" _What is that?" Matt asked, nodding his head towards the jar._

" _Peanut butter." Lance replied since Pidge's speech was obstructed by the eating utensil clamped firmly between her teeth. "We found some at the Space Mall a few months back. Pidge just took one look at it and was all like 'WE MUST TAKE IT ALL BEFORE IT'S ALL GONE!'. We all gathered together as much Gac as we could to buy about eighty-six jars."_

" _Eighty-six!?" Matt blanched._

" _Yeah!" Lance chuckled. "We're down to sixty-nine now. But, then again, Hunk has also been using it for peanut-butter biscuits. We never get Pidge to help because she tries to eat it while we're making them! It really annoys Hunk because the jar always disappears when he wants to use it!"_

_Matt then looked back at Pidge, who had taken the spoon out of her mouth to speak._

" _Peanut butter is soooooo good!" She protested with little remorse. "How can you expect me to look away from a lonely open jar?"_

_Matt and Lance both silently agreed not to answer Pidge. One, because she was in an incredibly sensitive and emotional state. She would get defensive, and a defensive Pidge is horribly difficult to calm. Two, because they could not think of any reasons. To deny Pidge to indulge in her favourite treat was like kicking a million puppies! Pidge was impossible to be heartless towards._

_Pidge then yawned quietly like a kitten. Lance's eyes sparkled like an Anime character and looked like he was about to squeal over how adorable the Green Paladin was! Luckily for him, Matt spoke up first._

" _Alright Pidgeon," He said. "Get some sleep."_

" _Okay." Pidge nodded sleepily, collapsing over and snuggling into her pillow._

_Lance moved her spoon and peanut butter to her bedside table since she was now using both her hands to keep the hippo-heater in place._

" _Sleep tight Gremlin." He said._

" _Night Hermano." Pidge mumbled. "Night Gingerbread."_

_Lance snickered slightly while Matt blushed and promptly swept from the room. Once again, both stood behind the closed door._

" _Gingerbread?" Lance chortled._

" _Shut up." Matt growled with a face that camouflage perfectly against the Red Lion. "It's just a nickname she came up with when we were younger."_

" _Well, so is Lance."_

_Matt was turned to Lance with in confusion._

" _What do you mean?" He asked._

" _Lance is just a nickname." Lance provided. "My birth name is Alejandro, but Mariana and Fernanda would always get me to be their knight in shining armour whenever we played. This then led to me taking on the role of Sir Lancelot - you know, from the Arthurian Legends? - and Lance eventually evolved into a nickname."_

" _Oh." Matt said in understanding. He also found it rather coincidental that Alejandro meant 'defender of man'. Maybe Lance's place in Voltron had been fate! Perhaps all of them had been fated to meet. Whatever the case, Matt was thankful to have met so many wonderful people! If only he could get Lance to open up a bit more._

" _Hey, Lance?" Matt spoke up as the two began to wander off towards the lounge. "Why have you been avoiding me?"_

_Lance stared at the ground silently._

" _I don't know what you're talking about." He lied._

" _Whenever I'm hanging out with Pidge and Hunk you never come up to say 'hi'." Matt stated. "And whenever you're with them, you'll leave as soon as I arrive."_

_Lance was silent for a little while longer. His footsteps were suddenly louder and very interesting to the Blue Paladin._

" _I just don't want to come between you and Pidge." Lance admitted sadly. "She has dedicated everything to finding you, and now that she has you back, I don't want to ruin your time together. Pidge has become happier since you arrived, and Hunk is absolutely delighted to have another person to talk to. I don't want to ruin his chances of gaining a new friend either."_

" _But that doesn't mean that you have to isolate yourself from us." Matt persisted. "Pidge and Hunk speak of you very fondly and I want you to spend some time with us as well! While I am grateful that you have given us some time to spend with each other, I want you to be a part of our friendship as well! Pidge and Hunk really miss you. Every time you leave, their eyes follow you with longing. They just don't say anything because they don't want to upset you."_

_Lance was now looking slightly guilty and surprised._

" _Do they really?" He asked._

" _Of course!" Matt insisted. "Why? Don't you believe that?"_

" _It's not that." Lance assured him. "It's just that I didn't expect to be missed so much with you around. Ever since you arrived, everything has been so much easier and better! We now have larger and more advanced maps of the Galra empire and missions have been much smoother with your contributions! You've also managed to become such good friends with everyone! You're like me, but so much...better."_

_Matt suddenly paused and grabbed Lance by the shoulder. His eyes were wide with something akin to horror and sadness._

" _How...how can you even think that?" Matt stuttered. "Lance, you are amazing in your own right! I have never met or known anyone who could make people happy the way you do! The way you insist on dragging people into socialising outside of missions is impressive! I would not have the patience and will do persist in something like that! After all, I'd rather sit on my lazy ass all day with a laptop, but you always make sure that we're more than just a team! Furthermore, you have cared for Pidge more than I ever have! You've helped her through her grief and managed to keep her determined even when she had lost all hope! How can you not see how much the people on this ship treasure you?"_

_Lance stared at Matt with wide, shocked eyes._

" _Are...are you serious?" He asked quietly._

_Matt nodded sharply and rapidly. Lance quickly looked at the ground, a bashful blush creeping into his face._

" _Sorry." He stuttered. "It's just that...being the oldest of seven children has made me so used to looking after others! I haven't really needed to be taken care of before."_

" _That's okay." Matt assured him kindly. "Being an older brother is tough work."_

" _Especially when the younger sibling is Pidge!" Lance joked._

" _Oh, absolutely!" Matt released an exaggerated groan. "She's wound me up so tightly that I don't think I'll ever relax properly again!"_

" _Not even a game of Killbot Phantasm 1?" Lance waggled his eyebrows cheekily._

_Matt's face was dead serious as he laid both hands on Lance's shoulders._

" _Lance," He said. "You have just become my new favourite lanky-brother."_

" _What about Hunk?" Lance asked._

" _He's my favourite cuddly-brother."_

" _Can't disagree with you there!" Lance laughed._

* * *

Matt was quite literally shaken from his thoughts as the Green Lion tremored violently.

"We're entering Kardiastistaxis' atmosphere now!" Pidge yelled over the roaring that surrounded them.

Pidge struggled to keep her controls steady and Green tried his best to remain on track. The atmosphere glowed orange around and in front of them. When it cleared away, the Holts were greeted with an endless forest with trees taller than mountains. There were a few gaps where the sunlight could shine through to the ground. Blue, round birds with tiny wings and hooked, yellow beaks fluttered by. They had wide eyes on either side of the head and looked rather funny when they faced Pidge. There were also green ones with small eyes and really long necks. They were stretching up to nibble on some orange fruit hanging from the high branches.

Pidge gasped at the beauty before her. She was vaguely reminded of the rainforests back on Earth, but the trees here were thicker and taller, and there were no signs of deforestation anywhere.

"Where do we need to go?" Matt asked her, dragging her from her awed observations. Pidge shook her head to regain her focus. She looked around and spotted one of the areas where the Furomiak plants were supposed to flourish.

"There!" She said as she directed Green towards an open meadow next to a pale-blue lake.

Looking down at the field was like looking down at a canvas upon which a toddler had spilled a load of paint. The grass was multicoloured. Every colour of the rainbow could be seen. The Holts mused over how evolution on this planet had allowed the plants to gain energy from all wavelengths of light.

Green landed gracefully in the field. The blades of grass came up to about half-way up his foot; just short enough for Pidge to peer over the field. The two siblings left the Green Lion with wicker baskets on their backs. Pidge began to lead them over towards where the field met the forest near the lake.

"The plants grow around the trees." Pidge described. "That way, they don't take up too much space and leave ground for other plants to grow. They are close enough to the lake to have a healthy water supply and their position allows them to catch sunlight at sunrise and sunset."

"Fascinating!" Matt gasped as they came to the forest edge.

The trees loomed before them like creeping shadows. Had they decided to leave Green in there, they would certainly have never found him again, for the forest was too dense. The ground beneath them was fairly soft and bouncy due to being right next to the lake.

The Furomiak plants were not hard to miss. They hugged the trees like tapestries and seemed to grow in millions! There were undoubtedly more than enough plants to make the cure.

Upon closer inspection, the siblings saw that the flowers looked like lilies, except that the petals were thicker and had a single point on the end of each one. The points had spheres on the end. They weren't berries, but they were weird. Then again, in Space, everything was weird! Another thing that they observed was that the flowers were tiny - no bigger than a British five pence! It was no wonder that they would need so many of them.

Pidge and Matt wasted no time in setting down their baskets and picking as many flowers as they could. The stems, they noticed, were rainbow-coloured as well to optimise their sunlight-intake. After a short while, Matt felt a pinch in his neck and yelped. He slapped a hand to his neck. Pidge turned at her brother's distressed sound and saw a small insect buzzing near her brother's neck.

The insect was yellow and looked like an ant with hummingbird wings. It also had a long sting on its face. There was no mistaking that this was what had hurt her brother. Without thinking, Pidge swatted the insect away. It manoeuvred around her hand and sped off into the deep forest.

"Ouch!" Matt whined. "That really hurt!"

"Move your hand!" Pidge demanded. "We need to make sure that it wasn't poisonous."

Matt moved his hand away to reveal a small, red bump. The area surrounding it was also red.

"How does it feel?" Pidge asked as she scanned the sting.

"It doesn't itch," Matt replied. "But it feels like its burning slightly."

Pidge's worry increased. She tried not to quell on the possibility that she could lose both of her brothers now and reviewed the information provided by her scanner.

"Whatever that insect put in you, it's meant to be deadly to the native birds." Pidge conveyed. "It would appear that those insects are called Furians and are carnivores. They travel around in swarms. They send out a few scouts to find them a meal and they feast on it together."

"Oh great!" Matt stuttered. "I'm about to become bug chow!"

"Not really." Pidge corrected him, calm and immensely relieved. "It would seem that they have put androgen into your bloodstream."

"But androgen makes guys go bald!" Matt cried out in distress.

"While that would be funny to watch, this form of androgen is slightly different. Your hair will just go curly for a few days." Pidge said, faking disappointment. Matt, on the other hand, heaved a sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank goodness!" He sighed. "How curly are we talking?"

"Will Ferrell curly." Pidge decided. "I can't wait to see what the others will think of your new hairstyle! Lance will proba-"

At the mention of Lance, Pidge and Matt remembered what they were doing on this planet in the first place and wordlessly resumed their flower picking. More Furians tried to sting Pidge, but the armour around her neck was too thick for them to pierce. Matt, on the other hand, was constantly waving and swatting and slapping at them. For a second, he pondered about returning to Green, but then assured himself that he could put up with a little discomfort if it meant that Lance would be fine.

After a varga of rushed picking, the baskets were overflowing with indigo flowers. The tree now had two bald patches showing where they had been taking the flowers from. Pidge reassured herself that the plant could re-grow flowers to fill those gaps in a few quintaints. The two hurriedly made their way back to Green, leaving a trail of flowers in the wind. Luckily, the amount that they still had more than enough for the antidote. As Pidge settled herself into Green's seat, she noticed how red Matt's neck was. He looked worse than when he had the chicken pox, and that was saying something! Furthermore, his hair was now wavier than it had been thirty dobashes ago!

"Your hair's beginning to curl!" Pidge snickered.

Matt blushed and frowned.

"Just get us out of here." He demanded. "If I ever come back to this planet, I will be sure to wear thick clothes and bring lots of fly swatters!"

Pidge chuckled at her brother's discomfort and she urged Green to take off. But once they were airborne, she frowned. How could she be having fun while Lance was dying back at the Castle? Not to mention how upset Hunk and Keith were! And yet, here she was smiling and laughing! Why? She should be upset!

"Katie?" Matt whispered, noticing how sorrowful the Green Paladin had suddenly become.

"Why am I feeling happy?" Pidge angrily demanded. The anger was directed at herself. "Lance is severely injured, and here I am enjoying myself! It's like I don't even care for him!"

"Katie, no! You of all people should know that Lance wouldn't hate you for feeling happy!"

Pidge sighed, but said nothing, so Matt continued.

"I don't know as much about Lance as you, but I do know that he wouldn't want his misfortunes to keep others from feeling happy. You shouldn't feel guilty about having a laugh!" Matt then grinned cunningly. "After all, I'm getting a new hairdo! That is totally worth celebrating!"

"You'd look like a clown!" Pidge chuckled. "Or Merida!"

"Hey!" Matt yelped indignantly. "Can't I experience a change without you thinking of some way to ruin it for me?"

"You were the one fawning over Merida, not me." Pidge replied. "You really have a thing for princesses, don't you?"

"Yeah." Matt agreed. "That's probably why you're the most important person to me in the whole Universe!"

Pidge froze up for a second before chuckling wetly: "That was so cheesy! Lance would be so ashamed right now."

"Well, let's not tell him about this then."

"Sorry bro, but as soon as Lance is cured, I'm telling him all about your sloppy performance!"

"Pidge, no!"

Green chuckled as the two siblings continued to bicker and whine. He was pleased that the two were able to have an interval in their grief, for he knew that their worry would return tenfold once they returned to the Castle. Distantly, he felt that his Blue sister had found her ingredient for the cure and was almost back at the Castle. As for his Yellow brother and Red and Black sisters, he had no news.

He hoped that everything was alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used art from Zeshroom on deviant art to inspire the alien birds. Androgens are also real hormones which can lead to hair loss in males and hair curling in females ( .ca/blog/can-hair-change-straight-curly). This was a bit more of a filler, and it was also harder to write about Matt's feelings about Lance, but I think I managed a good job.
> 
> Pidge: Ugh, I feel horrible.  
> Keith: You've said that a million times!  
> Warryn: (Hugs Pidge closely) Don't be rude! You will never be able to comprehend the discomforts of a period!  
> Keith: And you do?  
> Warryn: As a matter of fact, yes! I am a girl after all! 'Week of Doom' indeed.  
> Lance: (Suddenly sits up) You're a what!? Since when!?  
> Warryn: YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BY DYING! LIE BACK DOWN!
> 
> Anyway, next chapter will be Hunk, and maybe a check-in with Coran and Lance. I'm also thinking of posting a preview for my next story before Chapter Six of Nigrum Sanguis comes out. It's another Klance story, but it's in an alternate universe. Keep an eye out for it! Also, I think that there should be an episode where Pidge is ill with the flu or something and Matt, Lance and Hunk spend the day rushing around to look after her. That would be both cute and hilarious! I can just imagine Pidge making up things for them to get for her and they all just run around in a panic! #PidgeHasTheBestBrothersInTheUniverse. 
> 
> Oh Dio, per favore dammi la forza! - Oh God, please give me strength!  
> Bontà gentile! Lei è un incubo! - Goodness gracious! She is a nightmare!  
> Hermano - Brother
> 
> Anyway, until the next time my wonderful readers!
> 
> WarrynSparklegem


	6. Relationships

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's catch up with Hunk and Coran now.

Today was one of those rare occasions when Hunk wasn't all jittery and anxious while flying Yellow. If this was a normal mission, he would currently be rambling about the millions of things that could go wrong and end up. Today though, Hunk didn't even stop to think about what could go wrong - because nothing will go wrong! Nothing can go wrong! Nothing _must_ go wrong, because if something goes wrong, then any chance of saving Lance is drastically reduced.

On the way to Catanadadila, Hunk said nothing. He did nothing other than grasp his controls tightly and keep his gaze focused forwards. Just forwards. He didn't look out at the stars and planets he was passing. Besides, awing at Space wasn't as fun or incredible without Lance there to do the awing with him. It was something the pair of them did. Ever since they came to the Castle, the Blue and Yellow Paladins would often sit in the control room or in their Lions and admire the beautiful stars around them. Soon enough, Hunk came to appreciate and understand why Lance had always been so determined to become a fighter pilot. Being able to see all of this first hand...it was truly breath-taking! Hunk could also understand why Lance had been so desperate to drag Hunk to the Garrison as well. Hunk had always felt like he was too big due to his larger-than-average size, but seeing the extent of the Universe made him feel so small that he was happy with how large he was! To be such a large part of something so magnificent was just...amazing.

But Hunk didn't feel amazing right now. In fact, he hadn't felt amazing for quite a few weeks. Why? Because he had been ignoring Lance.

No, no, it's true!

After becoming a Paladin, Hunk had found himself beginning to spend more and more time cooking for the team or working with Pidge. The time he spent with Lance gradually dwindled to barely any time at all! And recently the two of them often didn't see each other for days on end. Ever since Matt had joined the team, he, Hunk and Pidge had all been working updates for their database and technology. They were usually so deep in their concentration that someone could walk into the lab butt naked and dance to booming rock music and none of them would notice. Hunk would sometimes think that he saw a brown and green figure stand in the doorway, but whenever he looked up, no one would be there.

Eventually, Hunk managed to catch a fluttering of green material fleeing from the lab when he looked up. He then realised exactly what was going on. Lance had grown up with a _really_ large family (which Hunk knew because he had met them) and despised being alone. Since he was no longer hanging around with him and Pidge, and Keith had left to join the Blade, and Allura, Coran and Shiro were busy keeping the Castle prepared and making plans, Lance had no one to be with. The two of them had always been together; they were the dynamic duo! Phineas and Ferb, Pinky and the Brain, Dipper and Mabel, Jake and Finn! Wait...who were Jake and Finn? Wait...why was he even thinking about this!? Lance needed the antidote and here he was allowing himself to lose focus! Hunk felt guilty because he was such a bad friend!

" _Hunk, no!"_ Yellow protested. _"You're a great friend!"_

"Don't lie." Hunk said, broken and close to bursting into tears. "I've been a horrible friend! I've ignored him for weeks, but he never once said anything because he didn't want to distract us! Heck, he once came to me to talk and I didn't even pay attention because I was too _busy_!"

" _Lance is very understanding."_ Yellow consoled his distressed Paladin. _"He understands that you're all been busy with important work; my red and blue sisters have told me so."_

"But Lance is important as well!" Hunk cried, hatred and disappointment lining his tone. Both were aimed at himself. "His health and welfare are just as important as the junk and data that Pidge, Matt and I tinker with every day!"

Hunk sighed heavily and whined. Tears almost slipped from his eyes, but he forced them back. He'd let Lance down plenty of times already; he would not do it again!

Yellow sighed as well. He was disappointed that he could not cheer his Paladin up, but he could understand the cause of his gloom. Blue's - well, Red's - Paladin was so precious to his. During their first few days of bonding, Hunk had enthusiastically told him about all of their adventures from when they were younger and students in the Galaxy Garrison. He'd been steadfast in his desire to keep their friendship strong, but the war was different for these Paladins. For the previous Paladins, there hadn't been much of a war. Their families hadn't been abducted or abandoned. These Paladins depended heavily on the outcome of this war. Green's Paladin wanted to find her father and get this war over and done with so that she could return to her mother. Red's Paladin wanted to find his mother while with the Blade and Black's Paladin desired nothing more than to return to his family and find closure for all of his suffering. Blue's Paladin just wanted to go back home. Hunk did as well, of course, but he also wanted to protect Shay and the other families and races endangered by the Galra.

" _Try to be of good cheer Hunk."_ Yellow pleaded. _"You will succeed in your mission, and then your brother will be better."_

"I will succeed." Hunk reassured himself. "I _must_ succeed!"

The remainder of the flight to Catanadadila was overshadowed by silence. Yellow made no further attempts to comfort his Paladin since he knew that they would all be fruitless; his Paladin was far too distressed to find comfort in anything other than the Blue Paladin's recovery. Hunk blocked all thoughts and distractions from his mind so that he could focus solely on his mission.

He refused to think about what he would do if Lance did die.

Catanadadila looked like Earth.

Well, not completely, but the structure was very similar. Just like in the image back at the Castle, the planet had large yellow and orange land masses surrounded by a magenta ocean. It was the kind of planet that Hunk would imagine to be home to candy people. Mmmâ€¦what he wouldn't give for a jelly bean right now. Or a chocolate bar. Or a nougat! He and Lance both loved nougat. Every week, the McLains would send them a box of nougat to share with Pidge over the week. There would be strawberry, chocolate and mint. Hmm...maybe they would come across a herb planet one day! Maybe they could find some saffron and cumin so that Hunk could make some Arroz con Pollo. After all, it was Lance's favourite dish!

It was settled then.

As soon as Lance was better, Hunk would organise a day for the two of them to go out to some new planets together and look for some spices. Just the two of them.

Yellow made a steady and gentle descent to the planet. The caverns where they would find the Canaderia were near the ocean â€“ at least, that was what Pidge had told him. The surface of the planet was incredibly bare. There were no trees or plants, no signs of life anywhere. The entirety of the surface was rocks. Just rocks and dust. While the lack of life was slightly saddening, it was also relieving because it meant that there were no locals to disturb him Now all he had to worry about were the earth - planet? - planetquakes!

Just as Pidge had predicted, a large ravine ran along the majority of the length of the coastline. It stood out, jagged and gaping like a scratch on skin. The cracks were pitch-black, as if they were filled with ink. They seemed to go down forever. Maybe they did. Hunk tried not to think about it because if he thought about it then he would get worried and possibly draw back before turning around again, which would waste time because Lance is currently laid in the infirmary dying, so he didn't have time to waste, so he pushed Yellow down into the cavern before his strength could waver.

When Yellow's headlights lit up, a whole new world was revealed.

Hunk had been expecting the caves to remain dark. Boy, was he wrong!

Yellow's lights reflected off millions of shiny rocks and gems. The entire cavern lit up like the night sky, except that the reflections were not all white! On the contrary, Hunk could see all the colours of the light spectrum flashing around him. He was vaguely reminded of the discos at the nightclub close to the Garrison. Lance used to drag him and Pidge there on some nights to bond. Pidge usually ended up sat in the corner with his (at the time) book and music player while Hunk sat at the bar feeling a little awkward. Lance would end up flirting with a few girls, making them smile and giggle in a way that only he could.

That wasn't all Lance focused on though.

While flirting was his main hobby, he never lost sight of the real reason why they were there. He would then come back to the bar and sit next to Hunk with a juice and chat with him. Except for that one time though...

* * *

_Hunk watched as Lance talked to the DJ. He was waving his hands around fanatically and talking enthusiastically. What was he up to? Hunk just turned back to his drink. Pidge was sat next to him scribbling down notes from their Russian language classes. Russian was the subject that Lance excelled at the most. Not that Hunk was surprised; Lance was a beast when it came to learning languages. He'd learned Somalian within a year after first meeting Hunk and was already very fluent with Italian. The previous day, Pidge had been mumbling under his breath in Italian. He was humorously shocked when Lance replied to his rambles in Italian as well! It was the first time the ginger lad had looked mildly impressed with anything that Lance did._

" _You could ask Lance for help." Hunk told his teammate._

" _He'd get distracted by a pretty girl and go goofing off like usual." Pidge replied bitterly. They hated being here, but Lance had been very insistent that they all go out and 'enjoy' themselves._

" _YA ne gofbol!"_

_Pidge and Hunk jumped and yelped as Lance's protests were yelled over their shoulders._

" _I ya ser'yezno vosprinimayu nekotoryye veshchi, ponimayesh'?" Lance continued with crossed arms and a pout._

_Hunk and Pidge just stared at him for a while. Neither of them were fluent enough with Russian to have a foggiest about what he'd just said. Lance ignored them and instead looped his arms around their shoulders._

" _Anyway," Lance grinned. "I got something cool planned for us!"_

_Pidge groaned with dread while Hunk's eyes widened with caution._

" _What kind of surprise?" He asked warily._

" _You'll see." Lance smiled mysteriously, turning back around to face the dancefloor. He wedged himself in the space between Pidge and Hunk. "It's coming up next anyway."_

_Pidge and Hunk exchanged confused glances around Lance's body. Hunk just gave a shrug._

" _Gotta request dancers!" The DJ suddenly announced. "All of ya, on your feet!"_

" _Come on guys!" Lance leapt up excitedly, dragging his teammates off their seats by their sleeves. He pulled them towards the dancefloor. Hunk remained completely at Lance's mercy while Pidge dug his feet into the floor - it had no effect. Lance released them once they were in the middle of the throng._

" _Got an awesome playlist for you folks out there tonight!" The DJ continued to boom through the microphone. "Let's get this party started!"_

_A familiar tune began to hum around them and everyone whispered and whooped excitedly before beginning to dance in synchronisation._

" _Dale a tu cuerpo alegría Macarena_

_Que tu cuerpo es pa' darle alegría why cosa buena_

_Dale a tu cuerpo alegría, Macarena_

_Hey Macarena!"_

_Hunk found himself dancing before he even realised what the song was! Goodness gracious! This was his and Lance's jam! They would both often burst out dancing the Macarena when celebrating or just wanting some fun. He could even see Pidge dancing rather stiffly to the song, Gradually, he loosened up and even began to smile!_

_Lance was a genius. There was no other word to describe him right now. If you wanted to get someone out of their shell, Lance was your man!_

" _Ma-ia-hii,_

_Ma-ia-huu,_

_Ma-ia-hoo,_

_Ma-ia-haa!_

_Ma-ia-hii,_

_Ma-ia-huu,_

_Ma-ia-hoo,_

_Ma-ia-haa!"_

_The dancing continued on for hours. The three of them laughed and smiled through the entire night, bathed in flashing rainbows and joy. Sure, they were all drop-dead exhausted the next day, but it had been totally worth it! On another note, Pidge had also opened up to them a bit more as well. The Garrison Trio had been well and truly established that night._

* * *

"Hunk?"

Hunk jumped out of his thoughts when Yellow's concerned rumbles entered his mind.

"Sorry boy." Hunk said. "I-"

"Don't worry Hunk." Yellow purred. "I'm glad that you were able to find some happiness in this dark hour."

Hunk smiled gratefully at Yellow's acceptance.

Looking at his monitors, Hunk saw that they were almost at the bottom of the cavern. Their surroundings had dimmed quite a bit. He could still see the cavern, but it wasn't as dazzling as it had been when they'd first entered.

A few dobashes later, Yellow's paws met the ground with an echoing thunk. Hunk rattled as vibrations travelled through his Lion. Within the headlights' beams, Hunk could see a forest of stalagmites reaching up out of the ground. They also reflected rainbow colours. There were stalactites too, but they were darker and more threatening on the cavern's ceiling. A planetquake could easily dislodge a few of them. Hunk decided to move as quickly as possible before the planet could even begin to shiver.

Hunk's helmet sealed itself to keep the oxygen inside. The scans showed that there was no oxygen in the caves. His head wouldn't explode, but he would very quickly fall unconscious, which wouldn't be helpful to anyone. Hunk prayed that his helmet was resilient enough to survive a few rocks â€“ if the situation ever came, of course.

Armed with a hammer and chisel, Hunk stepped out into the cavern with only Yellow's lights to offer him comfort and guidance. The Canaderia pillars were a short walk away. Nothing could go wrong!

Hunk hobbled over to the nearest stalagmite and dug the chisel near the top. One whack with the hammer caused a few pieces of rock to fly. A second whack cause cracks to appear. The third whack made the chunk wobble. The fourth whack brought the chunk off completely. The chunk was large enough to fill up Hunk's entire palm.

 _Good._ Hunk thought. _That means that I have enough._

But before Hunk could take a step, the ground beneath him rumbled and then a groan echoed through the caves. Hunk fell down with an 'oof', giving him a clear view of the ceiling. The stalactites trembled with the promise of breaking from the rock and falling. One of the speared rocks directly above Hunk broke off with a heart-wrenching crack and began to plummet heavily towards Hunk.

For Hunk, everything froze. Time, his thoughts, himself. He was paralysed. He was about to be skewered or squashed or both and Pidge would never get the Canaderia. With his death, Lance's would be assured. He's failed.

_No,no,nonononononoNONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONO!_

Hunk ceased his internal hyperventilation when he realised that he was still alive. He could no longer see the rocks. He was instead faced with white. But he wasn't dead...

" _Hunk!"_

Hunk could have slapped himself. Of course, Yellow wouldn't have let him be crushed to death.

"Ah, sorry!" Hunk stammered.

" _Are you injured?"_ Yellow asked with a rush of concern.

"No, I'm fine." Hunk replied. He sat up and felt that the ground was now as still as a sleeping lake. He hauled himself to his feet and brushed off the thick orange dust.

" _We must hurry."_ Yellow continued. _"I can sense another quake approaching!"_

He lowered his head and opened his jaws for Hunk to dash inside. The Yellow Paladin flopped into his seat and placed the Canaderia chunk in his lap. He then grasped the controls and heaved on them to move them up into the sky.

"That was a close one." Hunk muttered when they were both out in the open air again. "I'm sorry Yellow."

" _Why?"_ Yellow asked, confused and worried.

"I just laid there like a useless pile of slop." Hunk replied despairingly. "I should have moved or something."

" _You did nothing wrong Hunk!"_ Yellow assured his Paladin. _"There is no shame in being afraid. And I saved you. I will always come to save my Paladin."_

"I know." Hunk said. "But I just wish that it wasn't as often as it is. I always seem to need saving."

" _That isn't true! You seem to handle yourself well in the kitchen."_

"Yeah, but-"

" _And you were amazing on the Balmera! Your kind heart and eagerness gave the Balmerians the hope they needed to save their home and rebel against the Galra. You did that on your own."_

"I know, I know." Hunk sighed deeply.

_And you saved yourself from that Sal guy." Yellow chuckled. "That is by far my favourite of your adventures."_

Hunk also chuckled when he recalled the obsessive chef. Hunk was still afraid to return to eh Space Mall because, next time, Sal might really keep him chained up in his kitchen forever. He could understand what Yellow was saying though; sure, he may require help rather often, but he was also good at holding out for himself and others as well.

"Thanks Yellow." Hunk smiled. "It's just...I don't want to fail Lance."

" _You haven't. We'll be back at the Castle soon and the antidote can me made. Then you can drag him on that daytrip you've planned."_

Hunk pushed one of the levers to send Yellow flying at the greatest speed he could.

 _Hang in there buddy._ He thought. _We'll be back soon._

* * *

Coran pinched the end of his moustache with concern.

The Castle had been empty for about a Varga now. The Blades had left to take the prisoners back to their home planets and the Paladins were all out in the field. Coran wasn't worried about them though; he was confident that the Paladins and Lions could look after themselves.

No, Coran was worried because Lance's condition had worsened drastically since everyone had left.

Lance's skin was abnormally pale even by Keith's standards and he struggled with every inhale and exhale. The venom had now darkened about 90% to 95% of the teen's body; only his hands, feet and upper half of his face were unaffected. His forehead was scorching to the touch and the bedsheets were soaked with sweat. Thankfully, Lance's eyes were still a bold blue colour. Coran had also changed the bandages a short while ago. Blood was only coming out as a small trickle. A quick scan had revealed that Lance's blood levels were dangerously low. Coran hadn't wanted to connect Lance to a blood bag since that blood would just be attacked by the Nigrum Sanguis, but he'd had no choice.

Both Coran and Allura had been surprised when they found out that humans had different blood types and that there could be severe consequences if certain blood types mixed together. Pidge had explained it while teaching Coran about human anatomy. She then came up with the brilliant idea that everyone should have a pint of blood taken every now and then so that they could have their own blood supply should the need ever arise; the Altean version of the refrigerator would keep the blood fresh for years!

So now, in addition to water, Lance also had blood dripping into him via another IV line. He had come close to dislodging the needles a couple of times with his thrashing. He never woke up though; he would mumble in his native language, but he always remained unconscious. Coran didn't see him waking up any time soon either. It had come to the point where Coran was too afraid to leave the Blue Paladin's side. He busied himself with keeping Lance's forehead cool with the towel, monitoring his vital signs and holding his hand. His heart broke every time Lance's hand clenched on his in pain. He deeply wished that he could be in Lance's place if it meant that he could be spared from his suffering. Such a happy and kind-hearted boy did not deserve to go through this agony.

While on the subject, Coran decided that none of the Paladins deserved to be fighting this war. Apart from Shiro and technically Keith, they were all children. Keith, however, was only just and adult though and Coran still viewed him as a child. He found it unfair that they were all dragged into their war. The Paladins, however, had very few complaints. They, despite being upset about being away from home, were all ready and willing to leap into any battle alongside the Alteans. Their dedication and hard-work made Coran beam with pride every day. They were just as close - perhaps even closer! - than the previous Paladins had been.

Coran missed them. King Alfor had been his best friend for a long time before Voltron had been created. As the King's advisor, Coran had grown close to all of the old Paladins. He'd even regarded Zarkon as his friend back then. His own son had looked up to them as well!

...

His son. His wife.

Coran missed them terribly.

During his first night after waking up in the cryopod, Coran had wandered the halls. Whenever he'd closed his eyes, he would see them. He would see their smiles, hear their laughs, feel their hands in his. It was too much, too painful. For the first time in his life, Coran felt undying hatred. The Galra had taken his family from him. They'd also taken his people and his home. All he had left was the Castle, Allura and the war.

Well, that wasn't entirely true anymore.

* * *

_It took him a few quintaints to gather his courage and strength, but eventually, Coran made his way to his old chambers in the Castle. He carried some boxes to move out some of their old possessions to his new room; one that was closer to the bridge. His family had shared a small living space that was just right for the three of them. It was very far from the bridge, and therefore very inconvenient for Coran._

_He opened the door for the first time in 10,000 years and was instantly greeted by a cloud of dust. Coran coughed and waved his hand. The lights flickered on and revealed the room. Everything was just as he'd left it; the table was in the middle of the living room with three chairs around it. His son spent the most time at that table drawing colourful pictures of Voltron and his parents._

_Coran didn't go into his and his wife's room since they had very few possessions there. Most of them had been left in their home back on Altea. He would never see any of them again. Coran approached his son's room with a straight back and firm legs. His hands, however, shivered and his resolve continuously wavered. With a rush of strength, Coran placed his hand on the keypad and the door slid up._

_His son's room was just as dusty as the rest of the quarters. The lights flickered on to reveal his son's bed with the sheets unmade. Posters and pictures lined the walls and books filled the shelves. Upon reaching 'teen-hood', his son had decided that he wanted to be a mechanic like his father. He'd studied through every single book he could find related to the topic. He began to put his skills to the test when he helped his father repair the Lions. Over time, he developed fondness for the Lions, and vice versa._

" _I like Yellow and Blue the most, Father." He'd said one day._

" _And why is that?" Coran had asked._

" _Because they're the friendliest!" His son had replied with a huge smile. "And they remind me of you in some ways!"_

_Coran would never forget the time he walked in on his son complimenting Blue._

" _Hey Blue! Are you made from a trans dimensional meteor? Because your body is out of this Universe!"_

_Okay, so not complimenting. More like flirting._

_Coran chuckled sadly as he stood in the doorway. His son had been such a lively spirit. His soul had burned in a way that it should have been inextinguishable. Now it would seem that Coran's life would remain dark forever._

_Coran took a few tentative steps into the room. His son's desk was covered in open books and pens and papers. Some of his childhood drawings were stuck to the wall above it. Coran leaned forwards to look at them._

_One of them was of him and his son holding hands. They were surrounded by pink flowers which, he supposed, were juniberries. The smaller figure had a disproportionally large smile on his face and the larger figure was adorned with wild orange hair. There was an untidy scrawl above the pair which was just about legible:_ I love my daddy _._

 _The picture next to it was again of Coran and his son. Coran was drawn wearing armour. It looked vaguely like Paladin armour with the signature 'v'. This one was coloured orange. The words in this picture said:_ My daddy is my greatest hero!

_Coran finally broke down._

_He leaned heavily on the desk with one hand while the other came up to cup his face. Silent tears streamed down his face and dripped through his fingers onto the desk below. His shoulders shuddered with ragged sobs. It hit him that he was now well and truly alone with only Allura in this whole Universe. His family was gone, and they weren't coming back._

" _Coran?"_

_Coran started at the gentle voice behind him. He whipped around to see Lance peeking around the doorway at him. His eyes were wide, and a frown adorned his usually joyful face._

" _Lance!" Coran exclaimed as he desperately brushed away his tears. "What are you doing here?"_

" _I was walking around, exploring the Castle," Lance explained, remaining glued to his spot in the doorway. "And I heard crying, so I came to investigate. Are you...okay?"_

_Lance's face was filled with concern. In the last few days, Coran had grown used to seeing Lance with a cocky grin or mischievous smile. This was the first time he had seen this side of the Blue Paladin._

" _I'm fine." Coran replied, his tone lacking its lacklustre flamboyancy._

_Lance's eyebrow didn't raise, but his expression certainly held scepticism. Coran sighed. This was his team now, and he knew that keeping secrets from them wasn't good. They'd find out eventually anyway._

" _It's just...hard," Coran admitted. "Coming back here. "It's hard to accept that...they're gone."_

_Lance didn't press Coran to continue. He kept silent and allowed the Altean advisor to persist in his ramblings._

" _My wife, my son..." Coran's voice was low and slow; it was barely there. "The last time I saw them, I told them that I was going to assist the royal family. My son said that he was going to help the Blue Paladin; he worked as a mechanic for the Blue Lion. And my wife...she took my hand and told me to come back to her safe and sound. And now..."_

_Coran trailed off and wept. Tears caught in his moustache and dripped onto the desk with tiny patters._

" _N-now I'll nev-er see them e-ever a-again."_

_The Royal Advisor collapsed to his knees and finally grieved properly. He'd tried his upmost to hold in his tears and despair because he didn't want to upset Allura, who was still standing strong. He didn't want to drag Voltron back from their mission to save the Universe. In just a few days, they had defended Arus, incapacitated Commander Sendak and narrowly avoided having the Blue Lion stolen. They were a few Varga away from the Balmera; Hunk was eager to save his new friends. The Yellow Paladin was so caring and supportive, but he found himself bonding the Blue Paladin far more quickly._

_Speaking of the Blue Paladin..._

_Coran tensed slightly when he felt two long arms wrap themselves around his quivering shoulders. Lance said nothing and did nothing other than hold the grieving man. Coran couldn't deny that this was comforting, so he just let Lance hold him._

_Whether it was just a few dobashes or a whole varga, neither of them knew. Coran's sobs finally ceased and he merely sniffled and rubbed at his eyes. He pulled back and Lance let him, moving his arms to his sides. Coran took a few deep breaths to compose himself._

" _Thank you, Lance." Coran said, quietly and sincerely. "I'm sorry that you had to see that."_

" _No, no, it's okay." Lance assured him. "It was the least I could after you helped me at the party."_

_Coran's mind was drawn back to the Arusian party not so long ago. Lance had been feeling homesick, so Coran had tried his best to comfort him. He was pleased when Lance had cheered up._

_Then came the bomb._

_Coran can still hear Lance's desperate warning. He can still feel Lance's body colliding with his own, shielding him from the blast. He'll never forget how battered and injured Lance was in the aftermath. Without this boy, Coran would have been dead._

" _I never did thank you, did I?" Coran realised._

" _What for?" Lance asked, confused._

" _For saving my life!" Coran replied, surprised. "If you hadn't shielded me from that blast, I wouldn't be alive right now."_

_Lance blushed a bright red and looked away, stroking his arm._

" _I-it was nothing." Lance muttered bashfully._

" _It was most certainly not nothing!" Coran disagreed. "You'd been talking about how much you missed home and wanted to return to your family and risked any chance of doing so to save me."_

_Lance remained silent for a little while. This child was rather confusing! During training, Lance appeared to be rather arrogant and seeking attention. This Lance was incredibly humble and uncomfortable with being shown attention when and where it was due._

" _You know those falling rocks that you told me about?" Lance asked. "The ones from Altea?"_

" _Of course." Coran nodded. "Razor sharp and boiling hot. They could knock a hole right in your head!"_

" _Yeah, those ones." Lance giggled. "We have something similar on Earth. They're not really rocks though. Their small chunks of ice that fall from the sky when the atmosphere is really cold. It's called hail. I've never seen any though because where I live is too hot."_

" _Ice. Really?" Coran raised any eyebrow._

" _Yeah." Lance clarified. "We also get little particles of ice and dust that fall to the ground in the Northern countries. It's called snow, and it's really fun!"_

" _Your home sounds amazing." Coran marvelled. "I wish I could see it."_

" _Well, when this war is over, I'll take you back to Earth with me!" Lance beamed._

_Coran inhaled sharply and stared at Lance like he'd grown three more heads! What was he saying? Was he serious?_

" _You...you really mean that?"_

" _Well, yeah." Lance replied. "My family would love you! You remind me of an uncle I used to have! He was really optimistic and told us loads of stories from when he and my Mama used to go on adventures as children! He had a cool moustache as well."_

_Coran was taken aback. Was Lance really comparing him to a family member?_

" _Thinking about it," Lance continued thoughtfully. "You're like our Crazy Space Uncle!"_

_Scratch that: Lance considered him as family! But the two of them had only met a few quintaints ago! Lance frowned at Coran's continued silence._

" _Coran?"_

" _Sorry." Coran apologised. "It's just that...you remind me of my son."_

_Lance's eyes widened, and he fell silent. After a short while, he motioned for Coran to continue._

" _My son was incredibly free-spirited, like you." Coran continued nostalgically. "He was always so cheerful; he very rarely let anything ruin his mood. He had a boundless supply of energy and was always running around doing something. I remember once that I caught him flirting with the Blue Lion!"_

" _Really?" Lance burst out laughing. "I like that sound of this guy!"_

" _He would have liked you." Coran commented thoughtfully. "Very much."_

" _I'm sorry that you had to lose them." Lance said sympathetically. "I wish I could have met them."_

" _It's just very lonely without them." Coran confessed. "I miss them."_

" _You'll always have us though." Lance promised. "We may not be much, and we may not be perfect, but you'll always be welcome with us."_

_Holy quiznack! It was impossible to remain gloomy with this wonderful child around. Coran huffed and smiled brightly._

" _Than you Lance. Your words mean a lot to me."_

_And there was no better way to prove his words than to pull the Blue Paladin in for another hug._

" _So," Lance said warily. "Would you like some help moving some things? Or would you rather do this on your own?"_

_Coran took a moment to observe his son's room. The shelves held so many books that Coran would not be able to carry them all on his own._

" _I would love some help, Lance."_

* * *

Lance gasped again and squeezed Coran's hand tightly. Holding his hand was like holding a sauna in your palm. His bandages were now soaked with blood and sweat and would be due a change soon. His head writhed from side to side, leaving permanent dips in his pillow. He didn't have very long left. Coran stroked Lance's hand with his thumb and prayed. He'd already lost one son; he refused to lose another.

And then, like a miracle, the computer announced that the Blue Lion was quickly approaching!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warryn: Dreamworks hasn't given much about Coran's family other than his grandfather, so I came up with my own head canon. And his son was working with the Blue Lion before Altea was destroyed. Who knows! Maybe he survived… ;) Anyway, next week, we will check in on Shiro and see how well he survives the stench of damp. Eww  
> Shiro: I still can't believe you're making me do this… "-_-  
> Lance: Do it for me, Space Dad. DO IT FOR ME! AVENGE ME!  
> Warryn + Keith: LANCE, SHUT UP! YOU'RE DYING!
> 
> Macarena belongs to Los Del Rio  
> Dragostea Din Tei belongs to O-Zone The Don
> 
> YA ne gofbol! – I'm not a goofball!  
> I ya ser'yezno vosprinimayu nekotoryye veshchi, ponimayesh'? – And I do take some things seriously, you know?  
> I used Google Translate, so I apologise if the Russian translations are incorrect.
> 
> Until next time my wonderful readers!
> 
> WarrynSparklegem


	7. Courage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brave heart Shiro...

Shiro was silent throughout the journey. His steeled face bore the same neutral face, even though a storm raged in his grey eyes and his hands clenched the controls with deathly grips. His thoughts were also completely calm, being pushed aside so that flying the Lion to Hirdayakoprakreti was his sole focus.

And that was what terrified Black the most.

In the past, her Paladin's thoughts had always been active. While he would focus on his mission, he would also concentrate on his flying and worry about his fellow Paladins. Even on a peaceful flight, he would think about how well his Cubs had performed. He would be proud of their strengths and accomplishments and mull over how he could guide them to help improve their weaknesses. He _always_ had a million thoughts running through his head...

Except for now.

Black was worried for he Paladin. She knew about his condition and understood that he was very physically and emotionally dedicated to keeping his Cubs as safe as he can. But now, one of them was injured and dying, and her Paladin was pinning blame upon himself.

" _Takashi?"_ Black gently and warily intrudes Shiro's thoughts. _"How are you?"_

Shiro sighs but says nothing. He pushes his controls forwards slightly to speed up their journey.

" _Takashi, please,"_ Black whines. _"Your silence worries me! We will make it to Hirdayakoprakreti in good time; talk to me."_

Shiro remains silent and Black only grows even more frustrated.

" _Takashi Shirogane,"_ Black growls. _"I know that you are frightened for your Blue Cub, but you must not push me out! This is not healthy for you and you know it! Blue's Cub would be most disheartened if you were to grow distant to suffer in pain alone!"_

"I'm not suffering!" Shiro bites back. "I'm focusing! The sooner I get this mushroom, the sooner Lance will be better."

" _But you shouldn't isolate yourself like this!"_ Black protested. _"You will only hurt yourself even more by wallowing in your own self-guilt!"_

"Well, yes, of course I feel guilty!" Shiro snapped impatiently. "Lance was injured because I didn't keep a close eye and now both he and Keith are in danger of dying! They were literally in the next room to me; I could have at least done something!"

" _You of all the Paladins know what the Druids are like."_ Black tried to explain to her Paladin. _"You know that you could have done very little to prevent the events from occurring as they did."_

"That's not true!" Shiro growled angrily. "I could have sent them back to Earth and found some more grown up and experienced fighters to form Voltron! I could have decided not to get them lost on the other side of a wormhole! I could have just gotten rid of them!"

" _And yet they are still here."_

"Of course they're still here! I love their company! I love being around them! I love hearing their laughs and cheers and seeing how far they have come! I love _them_!"

Shiro tensed as he panted heavily. He already knew that he loved his teammates; Keith was his brother (maybe more like a son now), Pidge had been a part of his extended family since Matt had introduced her to him, Hunk was like his incredibly adorable and likable son and Lance was his over-optimistic and rambunctious toddler (despite him being older than Hunk). Coran had become like a parental figure to him - he admitted that the 'Crazy Space Uncle' role fit him perfectly - and Allura...Allura was Allura.

Shiro sighed and suppressed a blush. Allura was amazing. She was wise and tough and strong - well, yeah she was strong! She freaking _flung_ him over her shoulder like a _pillow_ into an escape pod! And before that, she had knocked out a guard by slamming a door into his face! In a way, he felt safer having her out in the field with them. While she was helping to protect the children, Shiro didn't have as much to stress about.

" _I know you love your Cubs."_ Black told him softly. _"I understand your worry for them. While I waited for you in the Castle of Lions, I thought constantly about my Brothers and Sisters. We were too far away from each other to feel or speak to each other. I had no idea that my Red Sister had been apprehended by the Galra. I was worried about them; had they reached safety? Had any of them survived? How long would we be apart for? How long would it take for our Paladins to find us? When you arrived at the Castle with my Blue Sister, I relieved myself of my worries for the first time in then thousand years. I was so happy! I was going to be reunited with my family and I was going to have a new one as well. I understand how important your family is to you Takashi, and you know how important you are to them."_

Shiro did.

Every time he met with one of his Paladins, he was met with relief or a smile or just pure happiness. He knew that his team needed him just as much as he needed them. He knew how important they all were to each other.

" _While you were missing,"_ Black continued. _"I was worried for you. I felt guilty because I hadn't been able to keep you safe. Red's Paladin had been the most broken out of them all. I was guilty and sad, but I knew that I had to move on. I moved on for you...whether to find you or just because it was what you would have wanted, I hardly knew. All I could think about was that Voltron had to continue. I accepted Red's Paladin because you wanted him to lead Voltron. My reason was because we needed each other; we had both lost you, and our first priority was to find you. But Red's Paladin had not been very willing at first."_

Shiro nodded. He already knew this from the debrief he had been given upon his return to the Castle.

"And Blue's Paladin, so kind and caring as he is, was able to restore his faith. He made it so that Voltron could form again; he fixed Voltron. I would have gladly accepted him as my Paladin as well, but I feel that he is too carefree to suddenly have so much responsibility thrust upon him."

"I don't know. "Shiro countered thoughtfully. "Lance has definitely come a long way. When I first met him, he was all-around distracted and arrogant in a way. He was also incredibly lacking in self-confidence and any skills in planning. He used to be reckless and thoughtless in his actions which led to some petty arguments. But now, he's gotten more confident and wiser with his choices. He's more mature and strategic, but also still childish and bubbly in a way that makes everyone else happy. He's - how do I put it? -more refined as a person now. I think he's more of who he wants to be now! I don't see why he couldn't be the Black Paladin if the need ever arises."

Shiro felt a surge of smug and relieved satisfaction from Black.

_Huh?_

"What is it?" Shiro questioned, confused.

"You are thinking again." Black replied happily. "You are no longer closing yourself from me."

Shiro huffed again. Despite how annoyed he was at allowing himself to be distracted, he also felt calmer and less stressed. Black was right. Cutting himself off from everything didn't help. However, thinking about his Paladins did. Thinking about their development helped him to relax.

He thought about Pidge, who was such a young child and one of the strongest members of their team. She had countlessly proven how adept her skills and intelligence are and had time and time again saved them from the other side of a computer screen. She was also unwilling to accept s**t from any one and could easily stand up for herself physically and verbally. But most of all, she had learned how to adapt to changes while remaining focused on her main goal. Despite everything, she was still able to maintain her own order.

He thought about Hunk, who used to be terrified about everything. He used to be unconfident about fighting and flying. Now he was a strong fighter. Of course, he still had a heart of gold and an unyielding empathy for all of the alien races they had liberated. On top of that, he had looked after the team with his amazing cooking skills and ingenious additions to the Lions. He was everyone's support, everyone's rock.

He thought about Keith, who was now more trusting and open while still being cautious of strangers. He had also excelled in his combat skills and had learned how to be more social and civil. Most importantly, he had learned how to love, how to open his heart to someone else, and Lance had been the one to do that, to let the fire burn freely.

And Lance...

Lance was just simply amazing.

He was Lance's Space Dad...and Lance was his Space Son.

* * *

" _Yeah! I have officially dubbed Coran as our Crazy Space Uncle!"_

" _Lance, seriously?" Keith groaned. Shiro could read what Keith was thinking: 'It is far too early for Lance to be this enthusiastic'._

" _Yes, seriously Mullet." Lance retorted. "You're the moody, distant cousin who sits in the corner at family reunions being all emo and broody."_

_Keith flicked a spoonful of his food goo at Lance, who only just about managed to avoid it._

" _Lance," Shiro gently reprimanded. "Stop teasing Keith."_

" _I wasn't teasing him! Honesty!" Lance raised his hands defensively. "Besides, he's not the only one; Pidge is they really scary and cunning younger sister who is basically the main character of everyone's worst nightmares!"_

" _I'll take that over 'Eagle Two' any day." Pidge mumbled tiredly as she scooped up some food goo and stuffed it into her mouth._

" _And Hunk is the cuddly angel who everyone wishes they had as an older brother. Well, too bad suckers because Hunk is my cuddly big brother!"_

" _Aww, thanks buddy!" Hunk simply smiled as he as he chowed on his own food goo._

" _Allura's the really stern and spooky older sister who doesn't understand the modern trends."_

" _Oh!" Allura said, surprised at Lance's openness. "Thank you, I suppose. And what is a 'trend'?"_

" _I'll tell you later." Pidge said. "When my brain has finally gotten out of bed."_

" _And Shiro is the loving Space Dad in denial!"_

_Shiro suddenly inhaled and started to choke on his food goo. He pounded on his chest while Hunk reached across and gave him a few slaps on the back. When he had finally dislodged the annoyance from his wind pipe. He gasped and panted while looking at Lance with wide eyes._

" _Space Dad!?" He repeated indignantly. "In denial!?"_

" _Well, of course!" Lance beamed proudly._

" _I can't argue with that one." Keith grudgingly agreed. "You do tell him off a lot."_

" _Hey!"_

" _And you make us stick to a bed time schedule." Pidge pointed out, glaring at Shiro. She still didn't like not being able to stay up on her laptop all evening, every evening._

" _And you're super protective over all of us!" Hunk added._

_Shiro blushed so that his face was the same colour as Keith's Lion. He began to splutter his protests._

" _I-I am most definitely_ _ **not**_ _Space Dad!" He denied._

" _Uh-huh, keep telling yourself that." Lance grinned cheekily as he spooned some food goo into his hungry mouth._

_Shiro sighed. He was never going the live this down._

* * *

_Lance sat beside him at the kitchen. Neither of them spoke a word to each other, but they didn't need to. Just having the other there brought them comfort and reassurance. The hot milk he was drinking was so smooth and creamy that the feeling of it on his tongue was just pure heaven._

_This had become an unspoken agreement between them. Every time they had a nightmare - which was almost always at the same time - they would meet in the kitchen and drink some hot milk._

_Lance was so brave and strong. He had overcome his trauma rather well considering his age and how shaken he had been at the start. Shiro knew that Lance was still suffering from killing that Galra soldier about a month ago and was so pleased that he wasn't as broken as the older man was. Lance's smiles were now genuine, and his eyes no longer had that haunted glaze over them. His nightmares had drastically decreased in frequency. It wouldn't be too long now until they were gone completely._

_Shiro had said that he was selfish, and he was. Lance's presence on the Castle was the anchor to real life that Shiro needed, so he would the 'Space Dad' that Lance needed._

_And Lance, he could be the adoring and doting Space Son that he was._

* * *

" _Takashi?"_ Black interrupted his thoughts.

Shiro snapped back to reality.

"Sorry Black." Shiro apologised.

" _All is well."_ Black assured him. _"I am happy that you are seeking solace with your happy memories. It is healthy."_

"I know." Shiro said, having heard the same from everyone else already. "I'm sorry Black, about shutting you out earlier. I know that you only wanted to help me. I was just-"

" _You don't need to explain."_ Black said kindly. _"I understand. I am worried for my Blue and Red Sisters' Paladin too. They are both so fretful for his well-being. We will not fail any of them."_

"I know we won't." Shiro reassured her. "Thank you Black. I don't know what I would do without you."

" _Nor I you, Takashi."_ Black replied happily. _"Hold on tight; we're entering Hirdayakoprakreti's atmosphere now."_

Shiro looked through Black's eyes at the dark, cloudy planet before them. Hirdayakoprakreti was indeed gloomy and the clouds seemed impenetrable, just as Pidge had showed him. As Black entered the atmosphere, she was rattled around by the torrential winds outside. Powerful gusts bombarded her durable exterior from all sides, rocking her back and forth like a ship on stormy seas.

"Come on Girl." Shiro encouraged his Lion, holding the controls as firmly as he could. "Keep us steady."

Black growled in reply, conveying the concentration and power she was putting into descending towards the planet safely. Howling could just about be heard over the rattling. Shiro couldn't see anything through the clouds, which were as black and thick as smoke. He couldn't tell how far away the ground was or how long it would take to reach it; he could only trust that Black knew what she was doing.

Soon enough, Shiro could see stars! Wait, no. Stars are in the sky. These lights were something else - the mushrooms! Pidge said that the ground was covered in luminescent mushrooms. They were the perfect beacons for Shiro to use to land Black safely. The wind was weaker this further down, so the landing wasn't as shaky as it could have been - _than goodness!_

Looking out of Black's eyes, Shiro could see a field of multicoloured lights going on forever. Teal, pink, green, red, orange - you name the colour, it was there. He could also just about make out tall cliffs with waterfalls spilling over the edges and streams crawling away from the rock and around the field. It seemed to be the perfect mix of beauty and fear-fuel. After all, Shiro wasn't all too keen on shadows, and this planet was full of them. They seemed to cover the cliff faces; caves, he guessed. His cells during his captivities with Galra had all been dark, as well as Haggar's lab. Needless to say, Shiro was scared.

" _The Witch isn't here."_ Black encouraged him. _"I will protect you this time. I will not let you down again."_

"I know." Shiro smiled, showing that Black's words were appreciated. "Besides, this planet is toxic to the Galra. Just promise you'll stay with me."

" _Always."_

And with that confirmation, Shiro made his way out onto the planet's surface.

The first thing Shiro noticed was the ground. It was squishy and bouncy, like a mix of rubber and sponge. Water squelched around his boots with every step. The second thing he noticed was the wind. While it wouldn't knock him off his feet, the breeze was certainly strong. It reminded him of the decontamination chamber back on the Castle. It had been ages since Shiro had felt the wind brush through his hair.

 _Just for a few moments._ He thought.

Shiro pulled his helmet off and shook his hair to straighten it out. Instantly, a cool gust brushed through his hair like a gentle, soothing hand. It reminded him of the times when he had been ill as a child and his mother stroked his fevered skin. It was so comforting, so relaxing...

And that is when Shiro noticed the third thing; the smell.

Shiro coughed when the stench of damp burned his nostrils. He brought a hand up to his face in an attempt to block the deadly aroma, but to no prevail. When his eyes began to water, he put his helmet back on and sealed it.

" _Green's Paladin did warn you."_ Black laughed at him amusedly.

"I know." Shiro replied, now flustered with embarrassment. "I'd forgotten about that part. Now then, green mushroom..."

An image of his required mushroom flickered into existence above his wrist. This mushroom glowed a bright green and had teal spots littering its surface like freckles.

"Now then," Shiro muttered to himself. "I need to pick the right one or else the antidote will explode."

' _No pressure.'_ He could hear Lance saying with his cheeky tone and dazzling grin.

Shiro stepped between every mushroom, closely inspecting every mushroom that had a green glow. Some had red spots, some had orange, and some were covered with triangles instead of spots!

"Sore wa, hoshikusa no naka de hari o mitsukeyou to suru yōna monodesu!" Shiro mumbled after around half a varga.

" _Patience yields focus."_ Black reminded her Paladin. _"You will find it."_

Shiro kept his 'I hope so' silent as he continued to search through the millions of mushrooms around him. He briefly wondered if Hunk could cook up anything with any of these - providing that they were safe to eat, of course.

While Shiro focused on mushrooms, Black subconsciously thought about Blue's Cub. That boy was an irreplaceable part of Voltron. He had helped everyone. Not only the Paladins, but also the Lions as well. His first good deed for them hadn't even been direct!

* * *

_My Sisters and Brothers and I are finally reunited. I haven't felt such happiness in ten thousand years! And I now have a new Paladin - Takashi Shirogane, but the other new Paladins call him 'Shiro'. I am not entirely sure what to think about him. He seems decent enough - a strong and wise leader - but will this all work out?_

_My Brethren are also unsure about their new Paladins._

_Yellow feels that his Paladin may be too nervous in future battles. Yellow's Paladin is also a genius and a skilled 'chef', as the other Paladins say. I know that he will support his team, no matter what._

_Green feels that his Paladin is not focusing on Voltron enough. The young child certainly thinks more about her missing family than her teammates. I understand her though because I, too, have experienced great loss. We all have. I am sure that she will learn how to use Voltron to her advantage soon enough._

_Red feels that her Paladin will not be as close to her as King Alfor had been. She is not happy about this new change. Her Paladin, however, is, in my eyes, perfect for her. Both of them are so closed and distant that maybe they can teach the other to open up to new people. They need each other._

_Blue feels that her Paladin is perfect. This surprised me because she and Blaytz had been incredibly close. I thought that, out of all of us, she would be the most reluctant to have a new Paladin. It would appear that this is not the case. For the past Varga, she has spoken of nothing but her Paladin. She speaks of how happy and playful he is, and how close the two of them are already. The even says that she will be incredibly happy fighting alongside her optimistic and overly-friendly Paladin._

_This annoys my Red Sister though._

" _You should not trust him so easily." She hisses. "How can we be sure that these Paladins won't turn their backs on us? Remember Zarkon?"_

_I growl. How could I forget?_

" _Lance is not like Zarkon!" Blue growls defensively. "I know it! He is already trusting me with his thoughts! Today he came to sit with me for a Varga before going to bed. I think that you lot just need to spend some time bonding with your new Paladins!"_

" _I am sure that the Princess has already planned that." I say._

" _I wonder how the invisible maze exercise will go?" Green ponders amusedly._

" _I just hope that we don't have to do the whole 'look through your Lion's eyes' exercise." Red grumbles. "I don't want to crash again."_

" _I'm a bit worried about the mind meld." Yellow confesses. "Most of the Paladins hardly know each other, let alone trust each other. I highly doubt that the meld will go well."_

" _Well, if I can bond with a new Paladin, then I am sure that the rest of you can as well!" Blue chirps happily._

" _You say that as if you have forgotten about Blaytz already." Red comments unkindly._

_Blue flinches._

" _I do remember Blaytz." She replies sadly. "Blaytz was like my brother, and I do miss him, but I know that he would want me to continue fighting against the evils in this Universe and be happy. I am happy with Lance â€“ it is hard not to be with his infectious joy â€“ and with him and the other humans, we can form Voltron and fight against Zarkon's forces. You should have more faith in me, my Brothers and Sisters! Do you really believe that I would bring you Paladins whom I didn't feel were right for you?"_

_I didn't. Blue is the most loyal out of all of us. She brought me Shiro. Whether he is right for me or not will all be revealed in time, but for now, I do sense that his soul does reflect the protective and leading nature that I need._

" _Blue is right." I announce. "I feel that all of our new Paladins are worthy. We just need to give them time to adjust to us, and us to them. For now, we shall cooperate with the humans. Red," I turn to my fiery Sister. "Play nice."_

_Red grumbles and looks away but does not protest._

" _We will form Voltron again." I continue. "Today happened without the Paladins knowing how they did it. Soon enough, we will all be bonded together so strongly that we will be able to form Voltron just with a single thought. For now, we trust our new Paladins and get to know them. They need us just as much as we need them."_

_By Brothers and Sisters all bow their heads in understanding. I am still worried, but I feel more confident than I had before. After all, if Blue can form a strong bond with her Paladin so quickly, then surely we can do the same._

* * *

_I have been mourning for many days._

_My beloved Shiro is gone. I could not protect him, and now he has disappeared._

_The Princess suggested that I take on a new Paladin, so I chose Red's. His pain was just like mine. We both cared for Shiro so deeply and his disappearance has impacted us both devastatingly. Red is upset that she has had to take on Blue's Paladin instead and Blue is unhappy that she has had to lose her Cub. The Princess has been a great Blue Paladin so far, but the balance had been so drastically shifted that we could not work harmoniously at first. We have now gotten better, but I and Red's Paladin still grieve._

_I am surprised to see Blue's Paladin approaching me. He has no shoes on. Surely his feet must be freezing? Human skin is very sensitive, after all. He also has a bucket filled with water, a brush and a towel._

" _Hi Black." He greets me with a pearly smile. I can see what Blue meant about his infectious joy now. His smile is sad, however. This does not surprise me because everyone has been affected by Takashi's disappearance._

" _How are you?" Blue's Paladin continues._

_I keep quiet, wondering where he is going with this train of conversation._

" _I know you must be feeling really down right now." He says. "I understand. We all miss Shiro. Red has been really grumpy recently about the whole Lion swap, so I've just finished giving her a wash!"_

_His smile brightens as he lowers his bucket next to my barrier and holds out his brush and towel._

" _She's feeling better now. I mean, obviously she is; she was graced with my wonderful presence, after all."_

_I chuckle. He is so theatrical!_

" _I thought that a wash might cheer you up as well." He says. "I mean, I know you can't see dirt against your black paint, but none of our girls deserve to be filthy! So, what do you say?"_

_I consider remaining silent, but I find myself wanting Blue's - Red's now - Paladin to stay a while longer. I lower my barrier and move my head down to the ground as an invitation._

" _Okey-dokey-lokey!" He beams._

...

_I am not even going to ask._

_He climbs up onto my snout with his bucket and brush. He dips the brush head into the water and begins to scrub between my eyes. I cannot deny it; the sensation is indescribably relaxing!_

" _You'll feel better in no time!" He boasts. "Or as better as you can feel right now, I suppose. Pidge and Hunk have been working really hard on trying to find Shiro and Keith has been training harder and longer than he ever has before."_

_The boy's expression drops. He is sad._

" _I'm worried about him." He admits. "He's been on edge ever since he became our leader because he knows that he can't lead like Shiro used to. Well, no one can lead like Shiro used to. He won't relax until Shiro is safe at home."_

_He then looks at me._

" _You're not mad at Keith, are you?" He asks. "He made some reckless and thoughtless mistakes back on Thayserix and endangered all of us, but he has learned from those. He just doesn't want to let Shiro down since he was the one who wanted Keith to be leader."_

_Blue's Paladin smiles._

" _I'm glad you chose him and not me. Keith would be horrible as my right hand! He's just so assertive and reckless and I'm more...supportive than he is. I can see why I'm the Red Paladin now. Allura wouldn't support Keith in the way he needs it; she's be more of a speaker than a listener and an observer. Perhaps, together, you and I can make a better leader out of him."_

_Maybe he is right. Red's Paladin, while unrefined, holds a lot of potential with leadership; he just needs to learn how to let others help him._

" _Maybe I'll get him to help me wash you some time!" The boy suggests while drying my snout with his towel. "Some supervised cleaning ought to help him bond with us more."_

_Blue was right. She had brought us the perfect Paladins. I will get Shiro back, but until then, I shall look after his Cubs._

* * *

Black had noticed something off about Shiro though. When he'd come back, he'd seemed...different somehow. She had to let him pilot her again when the team were in danger and she was almost convinced that this was her Takashi. However, she still had - has - a strange feeling about him. She'll bring it up with Lance the next time he comes to clean her.

Shiro, meanwhile, had begun to grow frustrated and was close to tears.

_WHERE ARE THOSE DAMNED MUSHROOMS!?_

Every green mushroom he had come across had not had even a speck of teal on them! Shiro wracked his brains to think about anything else that Pidge had said about the mushrooms. Um...they were green with blue spots...the locals used them...

Yes! The locals used them, but why?

Because their light could be turned on and off, making them more efficient and ideal for when they wanted to go out searching and had to hide from predators. But the whole marshland was illuminated...meaning that this was not where they used the mushrooms. Their predators must lurk somewhere else, along with the mushrooms he needed.

Shiro's gaze wandered over to the pitch-black caves that spewed out darkness. He gulped as the realisation hit him like a truck. He had to enter the caves. He had to go into those dark, shadowy, cavernous caves.

" _I am sorry Takashi."_ Black whines. _"The caves are too small for me to accompany you."_

"But-" Shiro protests. He didn't want to be alone!

" _You will not be alone."_ Black assures him. _"I will still be with you. You must do this, for Lance."_

_For Lance._

Shiro breathed deeply and rolled his shoulders. He strode into the caves while the flames of his courage still burned brightly. At the mouth of the cave, he switched on his headlight to reveal the cave's contents. The tunnel seemed to continue onwards for a short distance. With a shudder, Shiro walked in.

Water dripped everywhere and the little splashed echoed all around him. The brown walls looked like they were made of mud, for a touch confirmed that they were strong and firm rock. He glanced back and saw that the entrance was now no more than a small speck of light now. How much further did he have to go!?

He could hear whispers now. He could hear...Haggar?

 _It's just your mind playing with you._ Shiro tells himself.

" _The Witch is not here."_ Black tells him again. _"You are still safe from her. Do not let the monsters in your mind stop you!"_

Shiro presses onwards.

He can no longer see the entrance now.

And the tunnel had not reached an end yet.

How long had he been walking for? Dobashes? Vargas? Was Lance already dead? Has he been walking for too long?

" _Blue's Paladin still lives,"_ Black confidently informs him. _"But he does not have long left. You must hurry!"_

Then, like a miracle, Shiro's foot encountered something soft and rubbery. As soon as his foot touched it, a green light filled the tunnel. Shiro looked down and almost began crying with joy! Right there beneath his foot was a mushroom with teal spots! There was also another one next to his foot...and another. And another! Shiro wasted no time in picking it up. He pulled a few more out from the mud as well, just in case. Besides, Pidge would find this mushroom interesting indeed!

" _Takashi, hurry!"_ Black suddenly cried out urgently. _"I sense something coming towards you!"_

Shiro froze in terror and looked up slowly. He heard movement in the tunnel ahead of him. Slowly, he straightened himself and drew his Bayard. Whatever it was, it didn't sound friendly.

Suddenly, two red eyes appeared in the shadows in front of him. In a split second, Shiro's heart stopped and all of the air left his lungs. Then came an ear-piercing, terrifying screech!

" _RUN!"_

But Shiro was already running back towards the exit. He could hear the creature's pounding steps behind him, could hear its grunts and hungry growls. He also could have sworn that he could feel its breath against his neck, even though he was wearing a suit!

"Be ready for me!" Shiro told Black. "I'm coming straight in!"

Shiro cried out in terror as he stumbled a couple of times on the bumpy ground. He lost one mushroom from his stash but kept on running. Soon enough, Shiro let out a cry of relief when light appeared at the end of the tunnel.

" _You're almost there!"_ Black said.

Shiro practically flew out of the tunnel like a rabbit and headed towards Black, whom he pinpointed by her yellow eyes. He raced up the ramp and flung himself into the pilot's seat. The mushrooms rolled onto the floor, but Shiro was far too fixated on leaving the planet!

Shiro yanked the levers towards his chest as hard as he could and felt Black leap into the air and begin ascending into the atmosphere. An angry screech pierced the air and got quieter as the two got further from the ground. Once airborne, Shiro finally released a huge sigh of relief.

"What was that thing?" Shiro panted.

" _I do not know."_ Black replied.

Shiro glanced down at the floor. He still had four mushrooms, which would be more than enough for Lance's antidote.

"At least we won't ever have to go back there." Shiro smiled, crossing his fingers in hope. Then he frowned. "I am going to bloody _kill_ Pidge when I get back!"

" _She and my Green Brother are almost back at the Castle,"_ Black informs him. _"As is my Yellow Brother. My Blue Sister has already arrived."_

"What about Keith and Red?" Shiro asked.

" _I am not sure yet_." Black replied. " _But I am sure that they are both alright. After all, no force in the Universe can stop someone in love_."

Black's words are tinged with despair, and Shiro knows why. Zarkon had acted out of love when he tried to save Honerva. Shiro had no doubt that he would have liked the old Zarkon. Maybe he was still around somewhere...deep down.

Shiro smiled. That would be Lance's influence showing through. At the thought of Lance, Shiro urged Black to speed up.

 _Hurry Keith._ He thought urgently. _Lance doesn't have much time left. Please...please don't let me lose you both!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shiro: I hate you.  
> Warryn: I'm sorry! I didn't mean to trigger your PGSD!  
> Shiro + Keith: PGSD?  
> Warryn: Post Galra Stress Disorder. I don't think 'Traumatic' quite cuts it.  
> Shiro: Oh. That…actually makes sense!  
> Warryn: IKR? And I'm soooooo glad that you're finally admitting your feelings for Allura!  
> Shiro: (Sputters) W-what feelings!? Anyway, this story is about Keith and Lance, not me! (Even though everyone else had had more screen time than Lancey-Lance D; )  
> Warryn: I know! I'm the one writing it! Moving on, next week, we will see what Keith has been up to! How is he faring?  
> …  
> I don't know. I haven't gotten that far yet. Also, Shiro wasn't imagining that monster; it was VERY real.
> 
> Sore wa, hoshikusa no naka de hari o mitsukeyou to suru yōna monodesu! - It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack!
> 
> Anyway, until the next chapter, my wonderful readers!
> 
> WarrynSparklegem


	8. Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's all up to Keith now. Will he make it back in time?

Coran almost fell to his knees weeping when Allura entered the infirmary. She froze and inhaled sharply when she laid eyes on Lance. Her already-sparkling eyes glimmered and widened even more and her face paled slightly. However, her hesitation was only momentary as she straightened and boldly made her way towards the bed.

"How is he?" She asked Coran urgently.

"I'm afraid that he doesn't have much time left." Coran replied gravely. "He has about half a varga left until he enters the third stage. Did you get the scale?"

To answer, Allura held up the golden scale. Even though the material was organic, it shined like it was metal and impossibly smooth. Coran took the scale in his hand and brought up a document on the plasma screen.

"This will need to be grinded." Coran said. "It should then be mixed in with the powdered Canaderia and komatiite. The powders then need to be dissolved in the juices of the Furomiak flowers and Prakreti Lumos."

"How far away are the other Paladins?" Allura demanded.

"The Green Lion is about fifteen dobashes away and the Yellow Lion is not far behind." Coran reported. "The Black Lion has just left Hirdayakoprakreti and should arrive in around forty dobashes. I have no news about the Red Lion yet."

Allura's heart dropped, weighed down by immense fear. By the time Shiro returned, Lance would already be within the third stage and even closer to death!

"Hurry Keith!" She begged.

* * *

When Keith leapt into Red's seat, she launched herself out of her hangar with no hesitation. She could feel both of her Paladins. She had seen Lance's injuries earlier and knew just how imperative her quick action was. Since Sarcenognia was the furthest away from the Castle, Keith was eager to be his way as soon as possible. He was confident that they would make it back in good time though; Red was the fastest and most agile of the Lions, and she was just as motivated to save Lance as Keith. After all, Lance was her Paladin now. He may not have been Keith, but he had grown on her.

"What is our ETA?" Keith asked Red.

" _About a ninety dobashes, my Cub."_ Red replied. _"I will fly as quickly as possible though."_

"Be careful." Keith warned his Lion. "We don't want to lose control and crash into an asteroid field or something. We don't have that kind of time to waste."

" _I understand."_ Red replied, a little irritated that Keith thought it necessary to inform her of something she already knew. _"If the fact that I can feel your mate's pain is not enough,"_ Keith choked at Lance being referred to as his 'mate'. _"Then surely the fact that I can fell your and my Blue Sister's distress is enough."_

Keith sighed and berated himself. Of course, Red understood their current situation.

"Sorry." He apologised quietly. "I'm just...I'm really on edge. I'm scared, Red. I'm scared that I'll lose him!"

" _You won't lose him!"_ Red growled determinedly. Keith could feel her aura burning brighter and stronger than it had before. _"And neither shall I! The Blue Paladin is just as precious to me as he is to you. I also refuse to lose you as well!"_

"Lose me?" Keith repeated. "You wouldn't lose me!"

" _Can you promise me that?"_ Red asked him. _"Can you promise me that you will not lose yourself if you lose Lance? Can you promise me that you would become lost within your own mind or go crazy with grief? Can you promise me that you wouldn't leave Voltron to escape your pain?"_

Keith opened his mouth to seal the promise, but then paused, mouth left gaping like a fish in water.

Could he really promise that? He was, in fact, positive that losing Lance would send him in a downward spiral like losing Shiro had. When Shiro had disappeared on the Kerberos mission, Keith had become even more aggressive and temperamental towards others. He trusted no one and snapped at people randomly. He began snapping at anyone - students, staff and teachers - who discussed anything about the Kerberos mission. He had even punched a teacher who had accused Shiro of killing the Kerberos crew by crashing them onto the Moon's surface. Keith just...cracked and lunged at them. After that, he had been expelled due to disciplinary issues and forced back to his Father's cabin. He then spent a year in isolation searching for anything that could lead him to Shiro, and all he had to go on was Blue's calls.

Even though she never accepted him as her Paladin and took him to fight the Galra earlier, he was thankful for her because her presence gave him hope throughout the whole year. He held on to the desire to find the source of the 'strange energy' and, soon enough, Shiro returned to him. He also got to meet Pidge, Hunk and Lance as well because of Blue remaining anonymous. Somehow, the Blue Lion had played a part in brining him not only his fellow Defenders of the Universe, but also a new family.

Shiro had remained his older brother figure, even though he now saw him almost as a father figure as well (he blamed Lance's 'Space Dad' campaign). Pidge became his younger sister with whom he would theorise about cryptids and pull pranks. If he ever wanted a cuddly (which was just occasionally) or needed someone to talk to, then he would go to his big brother Hunk. Allura was firm and assertive, but also caring and compassionate. Years of being in foster care had given Keith plenty of time to wonder what his real mother had been like; Allura embodied everything that Keith had imagined his mother to be. However, she could also be incredibly playful and curious sometimes, so she was somewhere between and older sister and a 'Space Mum' (again, Lance). Coran was his 'Crazy Space Uncle' (he had to agree with Lance on that one). He was loud and flamboyant and tended to go off topic sometimes. He was also wise and open, and always willing to give helpful advice.

Then there was Lance.

Lance had been indescribably obnoxious at first. He was childish and arrogant. He had marked Keith as his rival for no reason and made everything a challenge, which Keith always fell for. He was distracting and just all-round _idiotic_! The Red Paladin had been steadfast in the notion that he and the Blue Paladin would never be efficient teammates, let alone friends!

But then came Sendak and the explosion.

When Keith and the others had entered the smoky control room and found Coran on the ground, he had been shaken. When he saw the state of the room and the crystal, he had become cold. When he saw Lance, he felt something...different...something he hadn't felt since...

Since he had been told that Shiro was dead.

He had been terrified for Lance, who had risked his own life to save that of a complete stranger. He had then woken up from a coma, despite being unconscious and untreated for Vargas, and landed a perfect shot on Sendak's back, saving Pidge and making it possible for the Paladins to take back the Castle.

" _We did it. We are a good team."_

He had been incredibly mad when Lance claimed to have forgotten their bonding moment.

" _Nope, don't remember it, didn't happen."_

It had hurt. Just when Keith had felt like he had made progress with becoming Lance's friend, the Cuban had to deny their first bonding moment. It hadn't even occurred to him back then that Lance genuinely had forgotten - after all, he had been seriously injured and quite out of it. Keith just felt hurt. He believed that Lance was lying, that he was getting revenge on Keith for saying that he hadn't remembered Lance from the Garrison.

...

That had been a lie.

Of course Keith remembered Lance. He may not have liked him or known who he was, but he did remember him. Even now, he could picture all the times he had seen the Latino boy...

* * *

" _Well, hello there!"_

_Keith rolled his eyes and groaned._

_Lance McLain._

_He didn't know who he was; he only knew that the Cuban was an annoying flirt. Some girls found him stupid, some found him charming, and most guys found him either bothersome or amusing to watch._

_Keith knew that he would never like him, and he knew that he never would._

* * *

_The music was beautiful._

_The pleasant strums of a guitar floated down the hall like a pleasing aroma from a kitchen. Keith couldn't help but follow the sound to the lounge he was curious and wanted to know what it was. When he came to the student lounge, he poked his head around the corner and looked around._

_He found that the lounge was rather packed. Most of the occupants were sat studying. This was unsurprising since the music and heavenly voice were - surprisingly - rather relaxing. He saw a bulky guy sat on the sofa amidst a small crowd of girls. His orange bandana fell over his shoulder slightly, but this didn't hinder his reading. Keith recognised him as the guy who followed McLain around like a loyal puppy. Speaking of McLain..._

_Lance was sat on the sofa's arm with a guitar balanced delicately on his knee. He was strumming it gracefully with his long fingers. The strings didn't screech one and no notes were incorrect. His voice was like a soft hum, accompanying his melody perfectly. He looked happy. He looked tranquil. He looked-_

_Keith stopped his thoughts there. Besides, he hated McLain. The boy was annoying beyond description! But just as this thought passed through his mind, Lance looked up, and his dazzling blue eyes met Keith's bold violet ones. He smiled and winked at him, not ceasing with his singing. Keith became embarrassingly flustered and fled before the Cuban caused his any trouble._

* * *

" _Hey there!"_

_Keith knew that perky voice â€“ he'd recognise it anywhere. He looked up and deflated in disdain as Lance McLain bounded up to him. Keith didn't reply to his greeting._

" _Hello." Lance greeting him again._

" _What do you want?" Keith asked him defensively._

_Lance was disturbed by Keith's act of hostility, but didn't back down. Keith had to admit that this guy had guts! Most of the other students would have given him a quick farewell and scuttled off by now._

" _I just wanted to say 'hi'." Lance replied simply._

" _Well, you've done that, so can you leave me alone now?" Keith demanded._

_Lance bristled with irritation._

" _What's your problem?" He asked sharply. "I'm only trying to be friendly!"_

" _Well, maybe I don't want to be friends with you." Keith bit back._

_Lance flinched at Keith's brutal honesty and did nothing as the older student turned and walked away briskly. He refused to be used again._

" _Fine." Lance called after him. "Didn't want to know you anyway, Mullet!"_

* * *

_Over the next few months, McLain performed as badly in lessons as he did with successfully flirting. Commander Iverson criticised McLain so often that it had to be on his scheduled time table somewhere; 'Yell at McLain for an hour instead of teaching the rest of the class'. This guy was really beginning to peeve Keith off now. The teachers were now having to dedicate more of their time towards telling McLain off for his lacklustre performances instead of instructing and advising their other students. Even then, McLain would continue to roam about the Garrison as if he owned the place._

_Keith couldn't help but think that the Garrison would be much better if Lance McLain wasn't there._

* * *

_It was late. Needless to say, Keith should have been in bed. However, Keith was too nervous to sleep. Shiro had just been recently launched to Kerberos and would be up there for the next however-many years. Sleep was currently evading him, so he took to wandering the halls. He stopped when he noticed a faint light emanating from the library._

_Keith's eyebrows scrunched up with confusion. While it wasn't uncommon for students to be in the library during the night, there were no exams nearby, so everyone should have taken to their beds. To quench his curiosity, Keith, once again, poked his head around the door._

_It took a moment for Keith's brain to register what he was seeing._

_Lance McLain, dressed in only a T-shirt, a pair of sleeping shorts and some blue trainers, was sat at the table. His casual green jacket was draped over his shoulders. He didn't look up at Keith; his sharp, blue eyes were too focused on the book beneath him. His lips fluttered as he murmured the words he read._

_Keith couldn't understand! McLain was lazy and more laidback than a deck chair! He was the sort of guy who Keith imagined would spend his nights sneaking out to party and pick up girls. And yet, he was here, sat in the library, studying. Judging by the number of books and pages of hand-written notes surrounding him, he had been studying in the library for quite some time!_

This makes no sense! _Keith thought._ McLain is supposed to be completely uninterested in his studies! Unless...unless I'm...wrong?

_No, that couldn't be right. Keith had completely pegged down McLain; there was no way he had misunderstood or misinterpreted his character. Rather than continuing with his internal debates, Keith continued with his nightly stroll._

* * *

_That would have been the end of it if Keith hadn't then begun to notice little changes in McLain's character._

_He started to notice the faint bags beneath his classmate's eyes. He saw how he flinched and his smile wavered whenever he was heavily criticised. He saw the determination in his eyes when he worked. Keith saw a new side of Lance McLain - his true character. He saw someone who truly wanted to do well, but was weighed down by everyone's opinions of him. All it took was one cruel comment and he crumbled. When the cadets had been given their new classes, Keith was delighted to find that he was to be in the Fighter Class. McLain, on the other hand, had been severely disappointed to find that he was to be a Cargo Pilot, despite all of his trials and hard work. Keith could hear his heart break from a mile away. That was why Keith was secretly happy when Lance had told him that he had been moved up to Fighter Class after he had been kicked out. He'd seen how sharp the Cuban's frown had been when he was sad. He'd seen how his bright eyes dimmed, like all the life had been sucked from them. He never wanted to see that again..._

* * *

" _I don't want to see you like that either, my Cub."_ Red said after being shown Keith's memories of Lance. _"But that is how you will be if you lose Lance."_

"Yeah." Keith agreed. "But it won't come to that."

Keith pushed down on the controls. Red sped up. They would now reach Sarcenognia in sixty-five dobashes.

* * *

Pidge and Matt raced to the infirmary with their baskets. Petals fluttered to the ground as they ran. Pidge silently promised to apologise to Coran later, but for now, they all had much more serious matters to deal with. They skidded through the infirmary doors and stumbled to a halt as they laid eyes on Lance.

The Blue Paladin had grown still now. His usually glowing, tanned skin was pale and sickly. Sweat dripped down from his brow which his brown locks were plastered to. His chest barely moved as he drew in laboured breaths. Worst of all was the poison itself. The black blood had almost contaminated the entire body. He was far too close to the third stage.

Coran and Allura perked up as the Holts entered. Coran pranced over to look at their collection of flowers.

"Great work Number Five." He smiled. He then paused and looked at Matt. "Something is different about you thoughâ€¦"

Allura blinked in surprise when she saw Matt's hair. Before he'd left, his hair had been long and straight. Now it had curled up so that it came down to his cheeks rather than his shoulders.

"I had some trouble with the local pests." Matt explained. "I'll tell you all about it later when Lance is better."

"How is he?" Pidge asked immediately after.

"He's not doing well." Coran replied truthfully. "He has very little time left before he enters the third stage. Death will come soon after. Hunk and Shiro will be back soon, but we can't reach Keith."

"Well, what's he doing?" Pidge demanded angrily.

"I don't know," Coran answered. "But let's not worry about that now. You can help me liquidise these flowers before Hunk and Shiro get back."

Pidge and Matt followed wordlessly, throwing glances at Lance before leaving his side.

* * *

Sarcenognia's surface was just as red as Red was. There were also black patches showing where the lava had hardened to form rock. These areas were surrounded by dark orange lakes of lava. With any luck, these areas would hold the Komatiite that Keith needed. As they descended through the atmosphere, tiny particles of ash and rock collected on Red's eyes, obstructing Keith's vision. Thankfully, he was able to land Red safely. Her weight, miraculously, didn't fracture the volcanic rock as he landed.

" _Be careful, my Cub."_ Red said as Keith walked down the ramp.

"I will." Keith assured his motherly Lion.

Keith looked out over the landscape. Mountainous volcanoes littered the area. Pillars of smoke, as tall and thick as trees, towered over him and formed an impenetrable screen of dark gas and particulates. Small rivers and streams of lava meandered through the rock. With the scanner in his hand, Keith began to search for any rock with a high magnesium content. According to Pidge, there would be no other rock with a high magnesium content on the planet. Keith briefly wondered if it would have been easier and quicker for him to break into a research facility on Earth for the Komatiite! But he then realised that he would have risked leading the Galra to Earth, and all of the humans on the planet would have been endangered. Lance would never forgive him if he ever put his family at risk.

* * *

" _One day, I'll take you to meet my family." Lance smiled at Keith._

" _R-really?" Keith stuttered in surprise. "Why?"_

" _Because we're family!" Lance replied as if it were obvious. "And I want my family back on Earth to meet my Space Family! Mama will practically adopt you!"_

_Keith stared at Lance with glimmering eyes._

" _Y-you really mean that?"_

" _Of course!" Lance supplied a dazzling grin. "I want you to meet them."_

_Something ignited in Keith's chest. It didn't burn out._

* * *

From what Lance had told him, the McLain family sounded amazing, and Keith couldn't wait to meet them. He wanted to meet them under happy circumstances though, when the war was over. He refused to ever walk up to Vanessa McLain's doorstep to tell her that her previously-thought-to-have-died-on-Earth son was now actually dead and had died fighting a war in Space.

Had died saving his life.

Keith watched as the bars on the scanner rose and fell. The magnesium bar generally kept at a small level. Keith also had to keep an eye on the ground at the same time to make sure he didn't step into any lava pools. His armour may have been designed to withstand broiling temperatures, but lava could still burn through it easily. The last thing he needed was to lose a leg and strand himself in the middle of a volcanic active valley. He huffed and continued his search, armed only with a scanner and a pickaxe. Hopefully he would find the damn rock soon.

* * *

Hunk barrelled down the hallway to the infirmary.

When he arrived, he saw Coran, Pidge and Matt juicing the flowers. Allura was at Lance's bedside, blocking him from the Yellow Paladin. Hunk took huge steps towards the bed, catching the Princess' attention.

"Hunk!" She exclaimed happily. "Did you get the Canaderia?"

In reply, Hunk held up a chunk of rock that fit in his palm perfectly. Pidge cheered and took it from him with the intention of crushing it into a powder. Hunk peeked over Allura's shoulder to see how his best friend was doing.

The poison had now reached all of Lance's body except for the crown of his head. Hunk estimated that he had around ten dobashes before he entered the third stage.

"Where are the others?" Hunk asked as he observed the room. Shiro and Keith were nowhere to be seen.

"Shiro should be arriving soon," Allura said. "But we have no news of Keith. I'm beginning to get worried. If he delays any further, well..."

Allura trailed off since the thought didn't need completion. Hunk could only attend to his best friend and pray for him.

* * *

Keith's frustration festered like an infection over the next half a varga. No signs of excessive magnesium content anywhere.

Keith was about ready to throw his scanner against the ground and scream at the sky, but he was just able to restrain himself. Without the scanner, he would be completely unable to save his Lance.

He instead wandered for many more dobashes, hoping that the Komatiite would magically appear.

" _If you want to believe in magic Mullet, I'm not going to stop you."_

"You wouldn't be able to." Keith replied to his imaginary Lance, who walked beside him.

Imaginary Lance was the one who Keith confided in when he wasn't with Red or Shiro.

" _Yeah."_ Imaginary Lance shrugged. _"You'd probably kick my butt and then hand it over to the Gladiator."_

"I would never!" Keith exclaimed with mock outrage.

" _No,"_ Lance grinned cheekily. _"You love me too much."_

"I do." Keith replied honestly. "I do. I love you so much Lance, more than you'll ever be able to comprehend. And if you die, you'll never know."

" _Then I won't die."_ Lance said. _"I know you won't give up on me Keith, like how I never gave up on you."_

"You never gave up on me." Keith repeated to himself. "You never...even when I screwed everything up, you stayed by my side. Back on Thayserix, I put the entire team in danger. I went ahead and chased after Lotor without allowing us any time to adapt to the changes. I could have gotten everyone killed. But you...remember what you told me, after we'd lost everyone? I said that I had put the entire team in jeopardy and you said-"

"' _Yeah, you kinda did. But now we gotta fix it'."_

"You said 'we'," Keith explained, gratefulness and love filling his heart. "Not 'you'. You didn't abandon me then. You remained with me and helped me to fix my mistakes. Without you Lance, I would be lost. I was lost before I met Shiro, and after I lost him, I didn't know what to do. Sometimes, I felt like I was going to float away and leave the Universe behind, but you would always pull me back down. If I lost you too, then..."

Keith's face fell. If he lost Lance...

"I won't lose you. I won't abandon you. You never left me, so you can't leave me now. I won't let you!"

" _That's our hot leader!"_ Lance cheered. _"Now, think. What do you know about Komatiite already?"_

"It has a high melting point." Keith recited.

" _Meaning?"_

"Meaning that it would have been a liquid when it was erupted."

" _But you need a more solid form of it."_

"Indeed. I need to find it away from the heat where it is cool enough for it to condense."

" _So..."_

"So...I need to search further away from the volcanoes and lava streams! More like in the centre of the plateau!"

Keith wasted no time in running towards the centre of the valley. The scanner began to pick up larger traces of magnesium, but not the amounts found in Komatiite. However, it didn't take long for the scanner to emanate a series of beeps, indicating that it had detected a magnesium content identical to that in Komatiite. Keith's heart leapt in thrill and excitement! He placed the scanner on the ground and hauled the pickaxe over his shoulder before bringing it down to the ground. Cracks reached out further from the impact point with every strike from the pickaxe. After a few hits, there were chunks large enough for Keith's purpose. He picked up the largest and scanned it to make sure it was indeed Komatiite.

The scanner confirmed that it was.

" _You'd better start heading back."_ Lance piped up. _"Your oxygen will begin to run out soon, and I'm sure Red is starting to worry about you."_

"Yes, I know." Keith groaned as he slipped the Komatiite into a pouch on his waist.

He grabbed the scanner and pickaxe in each hand and made a beeline straight for Red's open mouth. He settled into the seat and activated the launch sequence. Once they were in Space, Keith flopped backwards and heaved a huge sigh of relief. Despite how long the search took, the mission had gone much more simply than he thought it would.

Of course, it was at this point that Red's alarms began to blare and flash.

* * *

Shiro had been back for ten dobashes now and there was still no sign of Keith.

He had been incredibly surprised when he saw the state of Matt's hair. Apparently, he had upset the local bugs and had been injected with androgen, causing his hair to curl up like a clown's. Had the situation not been so dire, Shiro would have fallen to his knees and laughed loudly and madly.

But the situation was dire. Lance was dying.

Lance had now entered the third stage of the Nigrum Sanguis' progress. The poison had blackened every blood vessel in his body. It was as if black vines had entwined themselves around his form. Lance's breathing was now almost non-existent as he continued to sweat. His face was now grey and pasty-looking while his chest barely moved. Shiro also had the notion that he could fry an egg on Lance's forehead since he could feel the heat radiating from it through his black glove.

But worst of all were the boy's eyes.

Shiro couldn't see them now, but Coran had checked them a few dobashes ago to confirm that he had entered the third stage. Sure enough, two white-covered orbs stared back at them. Had Lance been perfectly healthy, Shiro would have been afraid that the Blue Paladin had gong blind since his irises were now a light grey as well. He had also begun to mutter beneath his breath in Spanish. Coran said that it was probably because he was hallucinating.

Lance was nearly dead, and they were so close!

The Prakreti Lumos had now been juiced and mixed in with the other ingredients; all they needed now was the powdered Komatiite. They needed Keith.

 _What's taking him so long?_ They all thought.

* * *

" _MY CUB!"_ Red exclaimed tensely. _"The Galra! How did they find us!?"_

"How could they not!?" Keith exclaimed, irritated and afraid. "They knew that we would search for the antidote. This is a trap!"

Keith was flung from side to side as the Red Lion dodged the multitude of shots fired at it. Three Galra battlecruisers had appeared out of nowhere and attacked the Red Lion without hesitation. The cockpit was filled with flashing red lights and blaring alarms. The systems went haywire as the radar loudly warned them about the enemies appearing before them. Keith was too far from the Castle to send them a transmission, so he couldn't get a wormhole, and he was all alone. His chances of escape were looking pretty slim.

" _Have faith my Cub!"_ Red implored her Paladin. _"We must not fail! We must escape!"_

"I'm trying!" Keith cried. "I just can't see any way out at the moment!"

Keith was terrified! It didn't matter if they escaped the Galra. If they were too slow in doing so, Lance would die.

Red was terrified too.

While she may have despised Blue's Cub at first, he had grown on her; not only through his attitude to battle, but also through his treatment of her precious Cub. He changed while he was with her. And, in a way, she changed too. She became...accepting.

* * *

" _I know you don't like me," Lance says. I just snort. "But we need to cooperate, okay? I don't like this any more than you do, but we have to do this for Keith."_

_For Keith? Is this insolent runt using my Cub against me?_

" _Keith is the leader of Voltron now." The Blue Paladin continues. "As you have already seen, he's stressed and confused. He misses Shiro, and that is making him emotionally unstable. I mean, he's making us follow Lotor without any training or preparations, for Pete's sake! What he needs is one less thing to worry about. If we can work together enough to form Voltron, then that will ease his mind a bit."_

_I growl with grudging agreement._

_Blue's Cub is right. My Cub is under a great deal of stress right now. Working with the Blue Paladin will indeed be in his greatest interests. Faintly, I can feel my Blue Sister begging me to take good care of her Cub. While I dislike this boy for taking my old Paladin's place, I cannot deny that he is important to my Blue Sister. My cub has also grown rather...fond of this boy as well, as have the other Paladins._

_I don't like him, but for the sake of Voltron, and so that my cub can return to me sooner, I will work with him. I tell him that I will work with him, but only because it is required of me._

" _That's fine." He tells me. "That's the most that I can ask of you. I know it's hard for you to let Keith go - heck, I already miss Blue! - but this really is best for everyone. The sooner we can work together, the sooner we can get Shiro back and the sooner everything can return to normal._

_Yes. The sooner Black's Paladin returns, the sooner my Cub can return to me._

* * *

_Black's Paladin has been back for ages now, but my Cub has still not returned to me. Instead, he has left Voltron and joined the Blades of Marmora instead. For many days, I have been grieving. I wanted my Cub to return to me, but instead, he has abandoned me! Why!? Why have all of my Paladins left me? I already lost Alfor ten thousand years ago! I loved him, and a piece of me had been lost with him. Now I have lost another piece of myself with Keith._

_I have spent the past few days curled up in the corner of my hangar. My Brothers and Sisters have all made their own attempts to communicate with me, but I ignore them all. I feel bad for upsetting them, but I just need my own space at the moment._

_Unfortunately, it seems that my current Paladin doesn't get the message. Over the last few days, he has visited me many times. He hasn't said anything though, which is what confuses me the most. The Blue Paladin is usually so loud and obnoxious and colourful. This Paladin is so quiet and dull that I don't even register his presence. He has returned and has sat against my paw again._

" _I miss him too." He says suddenly. "This is not how things should have gone."_

_I purr in agreement. My Cub should have returned to me and Blue's Cub should have returned to her._

" _This is all my fault."_

_I feel confused for a moment. His fault? The words cause an aggressive anger to boil inside me, and I growl._

" _I told him that when Shiro came back there would be six Paladins and only five Lions." He explains, sounding depressed. "I told him that there would be one Paladin too many."_

_So he told my Cub that one of them would have to leave!? He was the one who gave my Cub the idea of leaving Voltron!? My growls are now deeper and louder._

" _But he misunderstood." The boy continues, unaware of my devising plans to eject him into Space. "_ I _was supposed to be the leftover Paladin, not him!"_

_My mind falls still._

' _Leftover Paladin'?_

_Him?_

_What?_

" _I was supposed to be the Paladin to step aside!" The Blue Paladin continues. "I was supposed to back down so that Voltron could have its best Paladins on the front! I mean, we're in a war! Countless lives are depending on us! Allura is a far better Blue Paladin than I ever could have been or ever could be, and Keith is a much better Red Paladin than me! I was supposed to back down and stick with Coran in the Castle while you five went out and defended the Universe! Instead I made Keith think that_ he _is the leftover Paladin and made him leave us! THIS IS ALL MY FAULT!"_

_Blue's Cub breaks down into tears, sobbing uncontrollably. His despair fills our fragile bond, and I find that I dislike him being so sad. It makes me sad. In fact, I lose all ill-will I have towards him._

" _Do you really doubt your position on the team that much?" I ask him._

_The Paladin startles. This is the first time I have spoken to him in words._

" _What do you mean?" He asks._

" _When Black's Paladin returned," I began to explain simply. "I thought that my Cub would return to me and that you would return to Blue. You leaving or stepping down never occurred to me because I have always thought that, while immature and in need of refining, you are an admirable Paladin."_

_The boy looks up at me with eyes as blue as my Sister. They are sparkling, as if a million stars burn within them._

" _Do you really mean that?" He asks me in a small voice._

" _Yes." I answer him, honesty filling our bond. "Your shooting skills are the best I have ever seen, and you hold the team together in times of stress. After the Black Paladin had disappeared, your support for my Cub was what kept the team together. I may not have liked you back then, but I believed that, if you left the team, we would all fall alongside the Universe. You should not doubt your self-worth."_

_I can feel the Blue Paladin's sadness give way to joy and hope, even though a small slither of doubt remains. For now, I am satisfied._

"' _Back then'?" He picks up. "What about now?"_

" _You are...tolerable." I tell him. "Your strategy and combat skills have indeed improved in such a small space of time. You may not be my original Paladin, but I am sure that I can live with you for a few years."_

" _Just a few years?" The Blue Paladin smiles up at me cheekily._

" _Maybe a little longer." I confess._

" _Admit it Red;" The boy grins. "I've grown on you. You love me! You can't get enough of me!"_

" _I can eject you into Space while I'm flying, you know." I warn him._

_He quietens immediately._

_But he is right._

_He_ has _grown on me._

* * *

" _I will not fail him now!"_ Red roars as she fires a blast at a Galra ship, causing a small explosion on impact.

"This is bad!" Keith begins to fret. "We need help!"

Suddenly, one of the battlecruisers explodes into a cloud of fire and smoke.

"What?" Keith exclaims. "But ho-"

"We figured that you may require our assistance." A familiar voice echoed through the coms system.

"Kolivan!" Keith cried out in joy and relief. "I'm so glad to see you! I thought you were taking the prisoners back to their homes!"

"We have already completed that mission." Kolivan reported. "We realised that you hadn't returned to the Castle yet, so we made our way here to check up on you."

There was a grunt over the speakers accompanied by the sound of shots being fired.

"It's a good thing we did." Kolivan commented.

"Thank you!" Keith expressed sincerely as he blasted at another Galra cruiser.

"Now go!" Kolivan ordered him.

"But what about you?" Keith asked.

"We have Blades inside covering for us as well." Kolivan replied. "We will hold. Get back to the Voltron Castle immediately! This is an order Keith!"

Keith didn't waste any time with affirmation. He simply just turned Red around and shot away from the battle, back in the direction of the Castle.

 _I hope I'm not too late!_ Keith thought desperately. _Please don't let me be too late!_

* * *

Coran checked Lance's vitals again and shook his head.

"He has less than twenty dobashes left." He reported gravely. "If Keith doesn't return soon, we could lose him."

 _And Keith as well._ Shiro thought but did not say.

The infirmary was silent. There was nothing to do or say. The other ingredients had been mixed together and Lance had been made as comfortable as he could be in his condition. His mumblings were now so quiet that they were barely whispers. His breath could barely be felt leaving his lips. His chest appeared to be still unless you looked really closely. His bloodied bandages had been changed along with his IV bags. His pillows had been plumped and he had been covered with a thinner blanket.

There was nothing to do but wait and hope.

Ten dobashes later, a voice crackled over the speakers.

"I'm coming in!" Keith reported.

"Do you have the Komatiite?" Allura sked immediately.

"Yes." Keith replied. "Have Red's hangar open for me. I'm coming in hot!"

"Understood!" Allura said as she raced toward the computer to open up the Red Lion's hangar.

In the background, Hunk and Pidge whooped and cried in joy while Shiro released a bark of relief, along with a few tears of his own.

* * *

Keith was heaving for breath by the time he reached the infirmary. He had sprinted along every corridor and slipped around every corner to reach Lance in time. He was greeted by Matt and Shiro at the entrance. Matt didn't say anything; he just took the rock out of Keith's hands and leapt over to Pidge and Coran to complete the antidote.

Shiro said nothing as well. Instead, he pulled Keith in for a tight hug, which Keith returned.

"Lance." Keith panted. "How is he?"

"It's too close." Shiro replied, his expression filled with sympathy and dread. He made no move to stop Keith, who walked past him and strode right up to Lance's bedside.

He gasped when he saw Lance's condition and almost buckled to his knees in despair. He looked dead already, but the beeps from the heart monitor told him that his beloved was, indeed, still alive.

"He'll be fine." Shiro said confidently; mainly to reassure himself as well as his brother. "We'll administer the cure and then you can tell him."

"Yeah." Keith breathed, desperately trying to calm himself and hold on to the last shred of hope he had.

Keith took off his gloves and scooped up Lance's hand, which was dangling over the edge of the bed. It felt like ice, and the skin was clammy. There was no memory of the warm, smooth hands that Keith had come to associate with the Blue Paladin. There was no sweet smell of moisturiser or deodorant. The stench of sweat and sickness hung around him like a morning mist.

Like death.

Coran raced over to Lance a few dobashes later with a needle filled with a violet mixture; the antidote. He wasted no time in picking up Lance's unoccupied arm and injecting the mixture in at the elbow. Keith held his breath and stared intently at Lance's eyes, waiting for blue orbs to peek through. He held the hand tightly, waiting for the lax fingers to close around his. Everyone else gathered around as well, waiting for their friend to wake up.

A tick went by.

Then two.

Then ten.

Twenty ticks after administering the cure, nothing had happened.

"Is it working?" Hunk asked worriedly.

"It has to be!" Pidge replied with a waver in her voice. "We did everything correctly!"

A few ticks later, the heart monitor released a series of high frequency and pitch beeps before droning out one long, deep beep. The bumps on the heart monitor were no more. In their place was one long, flat line.

Over the next few ticks, many things happened.

Coran's eyes widened in shock and he raced over to the machine to check it.

Pidge and Hunk flung themselves into each other's' arms, wailing and weeping. Matt held them both to his chest tightly, tears streaming down his face.

Allura balled herself up and fell into Shiro's chest. Shiro wrapped his arms around the Princess and his knees buckled slightly. His eyes were wide and unseeing while his mind tried to comprehend what had just happened.

Keith...

Keith just stared at Lance's face.

 _This isn't real._ He thought. _Lance promised me that he wouldn't leave me. He'll wake up any tick now! He'll be fine! He has to be fine!_

Three dobashes later, Coran turns to them all, tears swimming in his eyes.

"We..." He chokes on a sob. "He's gone...we were too late."

...

_Leai! Faamolemole, leai!_

_Lui non può essere!_

_Kore wa okoru koto wa dekimasen!_

In the background, the Lions roared in grief and despair â€“ Red and Blue, most of all. They had been too late.

...

_No..._

The tear was silent as rolled off his cheek and hit the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warryn: Uhh…Hakuna Matata?  
> Keith: How could you do this to us!?  
> Shiro: What did Lance ever do to deserve this!?  
> Pidge: Do you even have a heart!?  
> Hunk: (Sobbing and rocking back and forth in the corner)  
> Allura: Why? WHY!?  
> Coran: (Stares at me with a spoonful of his Paladins' Meal with a cold and maleficent look)  
> Warryn: I'm sorry, but 99.9% of all fanfictions starring Lance end with him dying!  
> Keith: Well, unkill him then! Right now!
> 
> Warryn ran away.
> 
> Leai! Faamolemole, leai! - No! Please, no!  
> Lui non può essere! - He can't be!  
> Kore wa okoru koto wa dekimasen! - This can't be happening!
> 
> Well, uh, until the next time, I guess? That is if the Paladins don't kill me.  
> Voltron: LETS KILL THIS BASTARD!  
> Warryn: Bye! (Runs away)
> 
> WarrynSparklegem


	9. ...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warryn: (Covered in bandages and balanced on crutches) As you can see, Voltron have not been very happy with me. Thankfully, I feel much better! I've just come back off holiday from the good old land of the Geordies. Now, many of you have been really angry at me for killing Lance. So, sorry, lo siento, es tut mir Leid, Gomen'nasai, Mi dispiace, Je suis désolé, Tá brón orm, whichever language you speak, I'm sorry. Anyway, you're all eager to read on, so I'll stop talking now!

" _You are the only exception."_

...

That voice.

It was so sad. Why was it so sad? He didn't want it to be sad. But...he also knew this voice. He remembers now...the speaker is usually irritated or angry at him. Why are they sad now? More importantly, whose voice is it?

" _And I've always lived like this,_

_Keeping a comfortable, distance._

_And up until now_

_I had sworn to myself that I'm content_

_With loneliness,_

_Because none of it was ever worth the risk."_

Lonely?

Well, Pidge and Hunk were never ones to remain lonely no matter how hard they worked. Coran was also a social butterfly despite being rather reserved about anything regarding Altea. The singer was also male, so Allura was scratched off the list. Could it be Shiro?

...

No. Shiro didn't like being lonely - especially after his isolation with the Galra.

That left only Keith.

But why was he sad?

He also became aware of other sensations. He could feel sweat rolling down his skin and soaking the bedsheets beneath him. He could feel something cool holding his hand and brushing against his skin, leaving a damp trail in its wake. He could feel a heat dominating his entire body! If the surface beneath him wasn't so incredibly soft, he would have believed that he was laying on a coal fire!

He also felt a cool presence over his weak heart. It was calloused, the sort of hand you would expect to be punched - not comforted - by. Then the voice dwindled into a whisper, a tremor vibrating through it, before it stopped. Why?

He mustered up all the strength he still had to make his mouth move.

"K-Keith?" He managed to gasp out.

He also strained to open his eyes a little. He was greeted by a blur of white, teal, red and black. The shape moved closer, and he was able to see two sparkling violet orbs looking at him with relief.

"Lance!"

Lance squints up at Keith despite the lights being dim. His face is clearer now. He can see the red-rimmed eyes and the clear tracks down his cheeks. Even though his face portrayed sadness and despair, Lance couldn't help but marvel at its beauty. Not just his beloved's face, but also his voice.

"So-son..." Lance tries to query Keith's tune, but a sharp pain stabs his entire being and he groans in discomfort. A finger was placed on his lips, accompanied by a gentle hushing. It is Keith.

"We can speak later once you're healed. We're just about to leave to get the antidote. We'll get it to you, and you'll be up and running around before you know it!"

Lance has never heard Keith hold so much hope and desperation in his voice before. When Shiro had been lost for the second time, Keith didn't show any weakness. He didn't put his hopes too high in case they were shattered on their descent. However, he didn't hold no hope at all because he truly still believed that Shiro would be found.

Keith was also leaving. Lance didn't want him to leave.

"B-bu..."

Lance couldn't say anything else though; his tongue became heavy with fatigue and his mind was clouded by exhaustion.

"Rest Lance." Keith told him. "And when you wake up, we'll be here."

 _But I don't want to._ Lance thought. _I don't want you to leave. Please...por favour..._

But he wasn't strong enough to fight off the compelling pull of sleep. As always, Keith was right. He needed to rest.

 _Te esperaré, mi amor._ Lance thought as he fell into the gentle embrace of slumber.

* * *

After that, Lance could only say that he was floating in darkness. He could feel Death's grip reaching out to every part of his body, leaving scorching sensations in its wake. He was dying and he knew it. He was afraid. Oh yes, he was very afraid! Lance had contemplated Death many times during his service in Voltron. The first time had been while he was injured from the explosion on Arus. He had spent many vargas drifting in and out of consciousness like the tide before becoming coherent enough to focus on saving Pidge.

After that he had begun to continue writing letters to his Mama and familia as often as he could, just as he did back at the Garrison. He had also left a video message for everyone in his Earth and Space family should he ever die. Additionally, he had also left a video message containing his Last Will and Testament, which he re-videoed and edited regularly.

So yes, Lance was prepared, but he was still scared. He didn't know what laid after life. Was there a Heaven and Hell? Would he find himself in the Land of the Dead? Would he be reincarnated? He didn't know. No one knew.

He wasn't just afraid of Death though; he was afraid for the people he would leave behind. Would they still be able to form Voltron? Would the Earth remain safe? Would everyone know just how much he loved them all? He could only hope that everything would be fine. Even now, he still had faith that Keith would return to Voltron as the Red Paladin. At least the, he could reunite with his loved ones (or the ones who loved him, at least).

Lance also had regrets.

He regretted that he would never walk any of his Hermanas down the aisle. He regretted that he would never see any of his siblings graduate. He regretted that he would leave his Mama to look after her remaining children alone.

He regretted that he would never be able to tell them what had happened to him. He regretted that he would never tell them of his many wondrous and daring adventures in Space. He regretted that he would never be able to tell them how much he missed and treasured them.

He regretted that he would never tell his team how much he wished he could have been a better Paladin. He regretted never being able to fly Blue one last time as he had promised. He regretted that he would never get to tell Pidge how brilliant she was. He regretted that he hadn't been able to help Matt and his sister find their father. He regretted that he would no longer be able to support Hunk or test his food for him. He regretted that he would no longer be able to comfort Shiro or reassure him that he was a good leader. He regretted that Allura and Coran would have to lose another family member so soon after losing their planet. He regretted that he wouldn't be able to help Voltron defend the Universe from the Galra and get rid of Zarkon once and for all.

But most of all, he regretted not telling Keith that he loved him.

 _Lo siento, Keith._ He thought as a white light began to envelope him. _Lo siento._

* * *

" _They're so beautiful Papa!" Nine-year-old Lance exclaims._

" _Indeed they are Hijo." Papa McLain chuckles._

_The two were sat on the home of their family home pointing out all of the stars and constellations that they could see. The starlight reflected off of the sea as if were a disco ball. Night time in Varadero is just simply dazzling and spectacular._

" _I can't believe you're going to Florida!" Lance gushes out. "You'll tell me all about it, won't you?"_

" _Of course." Papa promises. "Just as long as you agree to focus on your homework as well."_

" _But homework is so booooooooooooring!" Lance drawls._

" _I know Lance." Papa huffs. "I never enjoyed studying subjects I didn't want to do either, but you can't not do them just because you don't like them. You must show that you are tough enough to be a Fighter Pilot and neglecting homework does not reflect a hard-working person. Of course, if not doing your homework is more important to you than being a Fighter Pilot, then-"_

" _Of course becoming a Fighter Pilot is important to me Papa!" Lance cries, jumping to his feet. His repeated experiences of jumping on the roof were the only things keeping him from tilting and falling from the ledge. "I'll do anything to become a Fighter Pilot! No amount of homework can stand in my way!"_

" _Ese es mi chico!" Papa McLain laughs, ruffling his eldest son's hair._

" _Alejandro! Hector!" A shrill voice calls from below._

_Both of the McLain men peek down to see Vanessa McLain leaning up at them, a hand on her back to support her swollen belly._

" _Don't stay up there for too long!" She tells her husband and son. "It'll get cold soon, and you need to sleep Hector! You need to leave early tomorrow!"_

" _Si Mama."_

" _Si mi alma!"_

_As Mama McLain walks inside, Papa McLain and his son climb back into the attic._

" _Do you really have to go?" Lance asks._

" _Yes." Papa replies. "That does not mean that I want to leave you and the rest of the family though. So, while I'm gone, I want you to look after your Mama and siblings."_

" _Of course Papa." Lance replies with a salute._

* * *

" _Do you have to go?"_

_Lance nearly melts as his youngest sister Sofia looks up at with wide, glimmering eyes and endless tears pouring down her cheeks._

" _I'm afraid so." Lance replies, kneeling down to hug the young girl. "The Galaxy Garrison has been my dream for years and I have been accepted into the programme! This is not an opportunity that I can pass!"_

_Sofia sniffles against her brother's orange uniform, clinging to the material tenaciously._

" _Hey, hey." Lance whispers, stroking her hair back softly. She looks up at his again. "Yes, I want to go and accomplish my dreams. But I don't want to leave you behind either. I promise that I will write to you every day! I'll be back for Christmas and your eighth birthday."_

_Sofia rubs an arm over her eyes and holds up her pinkie finger._

" _Promise?" She whimpers. Her lips tremble as she strains to hold back a sob._

" _Promise." Lance smiled, linking his pinkie finger around Sofia's._

_Sofia smiles as well and flings her arms around Lance's neck once more. He hugs her tightly to his chest. He kisses her head and ruffles her hair once more before straightening up. Juliana is next in line; she, too, is crying. Lance pulls her in for a hug as well. His head rests right next to her ear._

" _Don't cry Juli." He begs._

" _L-lo siento." Juliana hiccups. "I just..."_

_She sniffles again._

" _You'll be fine." Lance tells her, pressing a soft kiss to her head. "Continue practicing your violin. Maybe you could send me some songs!"_

" _Would you send some back to me? On your guitar?" Juliana asks, pulling away from Lance's chest to look up at him._

" _Cross my heart." Lance vows._

_Juliana smiles now as well and pulls back._

_Next up is David. He's not crying, but tears well up in his eyes._

" _Hey, cheer up Nene." Lance grins at his youngest brother, nudging his shoulder a bit. "You've got an agent inside and Space Programme Centre now! Isn't that cool?"_

" _Yeah, but..." David looks down at the floor. He then latches himself around his brother like a koala. "I'll miss you."_

" _I'll miss you too." Lance says as he hugs David back. "I'll make it up to you though; I'll tell you_ everything _about the Garrison. The letters may be really long though..."_

" _You can use that as an excuse to write me extra letters." David giggles._

" _Sure." Lance beams as he kisses David's forehead._

_Fernanda and Felipe are more composed than their younger siblings are. They are not crying, but their slumped shoulders and heavy frowns display their despair._

" _Now, you two won't kill each other while I'm gone, will you?" Lance asks jokingly._

_The twins answer in unison:_

" _No."_

" _Of course not!"_

_Lance grins at the twins and opens his arms wide. They instantly jump at the opening and collide into his chest, entwining their arms tightly around him. Fernanda buries her head into Lance's chest while Felipe looks up at him._

" _Just come back, okay?" He begs pitifully._

" _I'll be back." Lance promises them._

" _We know." Fernanda says as she draws back. "You always come back, Loco."_

_Lance kisses them both and hugs them once more before moving on to his final sibling and eldest sister. Mariana does not hold any sadness in her expression. She smiles at her brother sweetly._

" _Look after them while I'm gone. Please?" Lance asks as he hugs his sister._

" _I will." Mariana promises. "But come back. I don't think I'll be able to keep the twins from each other's throat for long."_

_Lance chuckles._

" _Buena suerte." He says._

_Mariana draws back and whacks him on the arm playfully. She then smiles ruefully at him._

" _Don't blow the base up while you're there."_

" _Oh, now that's something that I can't promise you." Lance chuckles._

_Mariana just snorts and shakes her head: "I'll see you when you get back."_

_Vanessa McLain stands at the end of the family line. She looks up at her eldest son and child with glimmering eyes. She takes her son's face between her soft coconut-scented hands and pulls his head down to kiss his forehead._

" _Be careful Hijo," She begs. "And stay safe. I don't want you to end up like..."_

" _Like Papa." Lance provides for his mother._

_Vanessa huffs and smiles: "If your Papa could see you now, he would be so proud of you."_

" _Even though I'm a Cargo Pilot?"_

" _What did you tell me when you found that out?" Vanessa glares at her son._

"' _I'll be the best Cargo Pilot ever and make them regret not putting me on the Fighter programme'." Lance recites._

" _You never know," His Mama says hopefully. "They may move you up to the Fighter Class. It has happened before. Either way, your Papa would be proud of you. Fighter Class or not."_

" _I know Mama. I won't let him down, or you. I'll come back; I promise."_

" _You'd better." Vanessa sniffles. "Or else I'll come after you!"_

"Flight 328 for the Galaxy Garrison complex is now departing. All passengers, please report for boarding."

_Lance pulls away from his Mama's arms unwillingly and looks back down at his family. With his guitar case of his back and his duffel bag in one hand, he waves at them._

" _Welp, this is it." He sighs, holding back his tears. "I'll see you all soon, okay?"_

_Everyone nods. Sofia and Juliana suddenly rush forwards for one last hug. Everyone else quickly follows. As Lance ran towards the terminal for his plane, he turns around and yells: "I'll write! I promise!"_

_And then he was off to the Galaxy Garrison._

* * *

Lance was awoken by a soft crashing sound. It sounded incredibly familiar. It felt incredibly soothing too. Lance blearily opened his eyes and was astonished to see a bright blue sky above him. Lance sat up in a flash and hurriedly surveyed his surroundings. He was sat in a comfortable blanket of dry white sand with a sapphire sea on his left and a cluster of palm trees on his right. Up ahead was a small wooden shack.

Lance inhaled sharply.

He was on Varadero Beach...

He was home!

Lance leapt up with an exclamation of joy. He quickly looked over himself and found that he was bare foot with his regular shirt and trousers on. The trouser legs were rolled up to his knees; his usual attire for when he used to walk on the beach. He began to laugh happily and spun around, kicking up sand into the breeze. It twirled and spun as it danced away in the wind. He then pranced into the ocean, remaining in the shallow depths, and splashed around. The water was cool against his skin, just like he remembered.

Lance could smell the salt and seaweed. He could feel the breeze fluttering in his hair. He closed his eyes and grinned. Oh, how he had missed all of this!

"Hijo?"

Lance spun around and laughed in joy, twin tears leaking from his eyes and over his bubbly cheeks. There, just a few paces behind him, was Vanessa McLain.

"Mama!" Lance blurted out, rushing into his mother's open arms. "Oh, I have missed you so much!"

"And I you!" Mama replied with a tearful voice. She soon pulled away to hold her son's cheek in one palm. "We didn't know what had happened to you! We were told that you had died, but we just couldn't believe it!"

"I'm sorry Mama!" Lance wept. "I'm so, so sorry! I didn't mean to leave you behind like that! I didn't mean to make you worry or let you think that I was dead! I just..."

Lance sobbed harder when his Mama laid his forehead against hers.

"It's okay Alejandro." She whispered, tears glimmering in the corners of her eyes. "You're alive."

Then she frowned sadly.

"At least, you are now."

Lance's eyebrows scrunched up with confusion.

"Mama-"

"You have been poisoned." Vanessa said. "And you are so very close to dying now."

Lance blinked once, and then his face fell.

"I was stabbed." He recalls. "The blade was poisoned."

The memories hit him like a truck and he gasped.

"Keith!" He panted. "I saved Keith! He and the others left to get the antidote!"

"But they have taken too long." Vanessa frowned. "Your body is so weak now! Your death is near; I can feel it."

So could Lance. He could feel something pushing against him.

...

Wait...

That was wind...

Lance turned around to look out back at the sea. Dark grey clouds were now approaching the beach, bringing rain and winds with it. The sea itself was also beginning to rise.

"What's happening!?" Lance gasped in shock.

"Death is coming for you." Vanessa replied mournfully. "Your friends were too slow!"

"But-" Lance objected fearfully. "But I never got to tell Keith that I love him! I never got to help Voltron defeat Zarkon! I never got to come home to you and the others!"

"I know." Vanessa sobbed, raising a hand to Lance's locks. "But that doesn't matter. You have done well. You have saved countless lives and planets! You have kept me and your siblings safe. Your friends will tell them the truth and I will be even more proud of my son, my Lance...the Blue Paladin, a Defender of the Universe."

Vanessa smiled proudly at her son. The water had raised up to their waists.

"You have done very well Lance. Now it is time."

"I'm scared Mama!" Lance whimpered. "I-I'm so scared."

"Don't be afraid Alejandro." Vanessa said, stroking her son's hair one last time. The water was now almost covering them completely. "I'm here. I'll always be here."

"Gracias, Mama." Lance sighed contentedly before the disappeared from his arms.

Those were the last words they shared before the water came over his head. The beach vanished completely, along with the palm trees and wooden shack. He expected to drown painfully, to feel his lungs burn and eyes sting. Instead, he found himself descending peacefully under the water. He sank gently, the light above the water fading away softly. His lungs didn't feel like they were on fire and his eyes felt like perfectly normal. Lance had always expected dying to be painful, but right now...

Lance could almost just let Death engulf him easily.

 _Maybe things are better this way._ Lance convinced himself. _I have done enough for the Universe. My time is up. It is time for me to leave, and I'm fine with that._

The sea around him was now completely darkened. He closed his eyes and allowed the darkness to overtake him. He had just enough time left for one last thought.

_Lo siento Keith, mi amor. Adiós..._

* * *

The atmosphere in the infirmary was heavy with tears and sobs. Coran had moved away from the boy and wrapped an arm around Allura's shoulder. The Altean Princess had not moved from her position in Shiro's arms. She stayed warm in his embrace and raised a hand to cover Coran's. hoping that she could provide even a little bit of comfort to them both. Hunk had passed out from his weeping. Pidge trembled in her brother's arms while hers rested on Hunk's shoulders. Matt's head was buried into his sister's hair. All of them were sniffling or crying.

Keith, on the other hand, didn't cry. Tears strolled down his face, but he made no sounds. He sat in a chair by Lance's head with one of his blackened hands resting in his. The body - _Lance's_ body - was cold now. His skin was translucent and soaked with the sweat that hadn't evaporated while his fever had been present.

Keith didn't cry. He also didn't know what to think. He sat there, completely emotionless and thoughtless. He looked...broken. It was as if Lance's death had flipped his 'off' switch. Shiro couldn't help but feel like it was as if his soul had abandoned his body, leaving an empty shell. Reluctantly, he passed Allura over to Coran and approached his younger brother.

"Keith?" He whispered to the Red Paladin. Keith made no movements.

Shiro sighed and knelt down next to Keith to look at his face. His eyes twitched to Shiro, but stubbornly returned to Lance's face.

 _He's still in there._ Shiro noticed, relief filling his body before dread overtook it. _But for how long?_

"Keith?" He repeated.

"I..." Keith managed to say. "I don't..."

Keith didn't know what to say. What _could_ he say? He sighed and decided to admit the truth to himself.

"Lance is dead." He whispered.

Shiro nodded his head severely.

"Lance is not coming back." Keith continued.

Shiro nodded again.

Keith just sighed.

"What do I do now?" He asked.

"Live on." Shiro suppled.

"But...how?" Keith asked evenly, looking at Shiro properly for the first time. Shiro manages to hold back a gasp of despair when he notices how empty Keith's eyes are. "How do I live on? Lance was my life. And now, he's gone."

Shiro remained silent.

"Lance is dead. I have nothing left to live for."

"No, Keith!" Shiro argued desperately. "You have us! You have Voltron, and the Blades! And you still want to find your mother! You have many things left to live for!"

"But none of them are Lance." Keith deadpanned. "There is no point to my life without Lance."

Keith looks back down at his beloved again with a straight face and vague eyes. Shiro broke out into sobs again. He saw the spark leave Keith's eyes, rendering him emotionally dead. Shiro had tried his best to not believe what Kolivan had said. He had hoped that Keith's human half would cancel out the mate-bond instigated by his Galra genes, but his hopes had been in vain. He had now also lost Keith too. His brother and his Space Son were dead.

Keith continued to stare at Lance while Shiro grieved for his losses. He stroked the slumped hand in his with his thumb. Lance looked so peaceful like this. His face wasn't scrunched up in concentration or pain. His eyes weren't ablaze with the desire to fight or adventure. There were no tears of despair or homesickness. There was nothing.

Keith had stopped seeing Lance now. He still stared at him, but his mind didn't see him. His memories and dreams flashed through his brain once more. This was the final time he would see them because he had already vowed to join Lance in Death as soon as the others were gone.

One final tear that had been caught on Keith's eyelashes finally dripped off and onto Lance's cheek, where it continued to roll.

Silence.

...

...

...

Beep.

Everyone - including Keith - whipped their heads around to stare piercingly at the heart monitor still attached to Lance's arm. They all held their breaths, waiting, hoping...

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

"L-Lance!" Pidge gasped.

Coran raced over to the heart monitor while Keith slapped his fingers against Lance's neck. He held his breath for a few moments.

"H-he has a pulse!" He exclaimed, a grin filling his face. "He's alive!"

Allura began to laugh in relief while Matt and Pidge cheered, the elder swinging the other around. Shiro collapsed to his hands and knees, crying happily to the ground. Keith laughed with relief and stroked a hand through Lance's matted hair. He Cuban boy in question moaned at Keith's action.

Keith tore his hand away from Lance to stare at his eyes instead. Shiro was also kneeling up now to look at Lance as well.

Sure enough, Lance's eyelids fluttered open, revealing two dull blue orbs. They rolled around for a while before settling on Keith.

"K-Keith?" Lance wheezed weakly.

"Oh, Lance!" Keith wept joyfully.

Keith threw himself over Lance and hugged him tightly. He pushed himself away as if burned when Lance groaned.

"Oh gosh I'm sorry!" Keith gasped.

"He will still be sore for a while." Coran explained, already back in his 'medic mode'. "You lot should leave; he needs to rest before he is strong enough to speak."

An eruption of protests followed immediately.

"No! I want to stay here!"

"I can wait here for Lance to wake up!"

"I don't want to go!"

"Paladins!" Allura yelled loudly.

Lance flinched at the loud sound and the Paladins instantly silenced themselves.

"We have all been on tedious missions and gone through great stress." Allura sighed. "We all need to shower, eat and rest. Lance also needs rest, so we can leave now and come back to see him tomorrow."

"But-" Keith began to protest, but Shiro laid a hand on Keith's shoulder.

"The Princess is right." He said. "Lance won't be going anywhere; he needs to recover, and you need to rest. You can come back tomorrow morning to see him."

Keith looked at Lance again. The Blue Paladin had fallen asleep. Shiro was right; he was exhausted and needed to rest.

"Fine." He conceded.

He gave Lance a kiss on the forehead and left reluctantly to freshen up. Shiro and Allura carried Hunk out while Matt and Pidge trudged heavily behind. Pidge took one last look back into the infirmary and watched as Coran was changing Lance's water and blood supply. Her eyes finally focused on the shallow movements of Lance's chest before the doors closed and concealed the room from her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warryn: Are you all happy now?  
> Voltron + Readers: Huzzah! Lance lives!  
> Warryn: Sorry that this chapter was shorter than usual. Next chapter will be the final one. As you know, I had already named Lance's siblings before I had watched season 5, so I'm just sticking to the names I have used. I have also finally revealed Lance's mother's name and Vanessa. I just thought that it sounded really sweet. Lance's father was originally going to be called Pedro, but I watched Coco for the first time on holiday (along with Despicable Me 3, Duck Duck Goose and The Greatest Showman, all of which were AWESOME) and decided that I liked Hector better. Hector McLain definitely sounds better than Pedro McLain! FUN FACT: Hector, in Spanish, means tenacious, clingy, persistent and the like. Also, if you haven't watched Coco, Duck Duck Goose or The Greatest Showman, I would HIGHLY recommend them!  
> So yeah, Lance lived. I mean, of course I wasn't going to completely kill Lance! I could never pull a Bing Bong on you! Next week will wrap up the story. Wil Lance and Keith get kissy-kissy?  
> Pidge: I wager fifty gac that Keith will just grab Lance's face and smooch it as soon as he sees him again!  
> Keith: (Blushes) Shut up!  
> Lance: Yeah! That wager is worth at least a hundred gac!  
> Warryn + Shiro: YOU'RE RECOVERING FROM NEAR-DEATH! LIE BACK DOWN!
> 
> Translations (Oh boy, there are a LOT of them):  
> Por favor – Please  
> Te esperaré, mi amor – I will wait for you, my love  
> Lo siento – I'm sorry  
> Hijo – Son  
> Ese es mi chico – That's my boy  
> Mi alma – My soul  
> Nene – Baby boy/kiddo  
> Buena suerte – Good luck  
> Lo siento Keith, mi amor. Adiós... – I'm sorry Keith, my love. Goodbye...
> 
> Until next time my wonderful readers!
> 
> WarrynSparklegem


	10. Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And that's how Klance lived happily ever after.

Have you ever seen those movies where, while waiting for their loved ones to recover, characters have trouble sleeping? You know, sometimes they'll have nightmares, or just lay on their beds staring at the ceiling. Sometimes they'll go and sit by their loved ones until they wake up. Sometimes they'll sit down and stare at photographs or remember how they had almost lost the person they loved the most.

For Keith, things were different. After dragging himself to his old room, he pulled off his armour and chucked it onto the floor. He then flopped onto his bed and was out before he could think of anything else. He laid there, out like a light, still dressed in his under suit (despite his assumption that he wouldn't be able to sleep). Then again, considering everything he had been through in the last twelve varga, he had every right to me exhausted. He slept, just like the rest of the Paladins.

Keith woke up gently and gradually. It was a nice change from being awoken by a blaring alarm; it reminded him of his days living in the desert. But he had been along during those days. This time he wasn't.

Keith rolled out of bed and stumbled to his feet. The first thing his foggy brain registered was how disgusting he felt! He now seriously regretted not showering the night before. He peeled off his under suit and clothes, leaving a trail all the way to his private bathroom. As the warm water cascaded onto him, he sighed in complete bliss and closed his eyes. It was nice to finally relax a bit. He also felt much more comfortable now that days' worth of sweat and dirt were being washed off.

Keith reached onto his shelf for his shampoo. Back on Earth, he usually just stuck to water and never bothered with hair products of any kind. However, once Lance had discovered how lacking Keith was in caring for himself, he...

Well he...

* * *

" _Honestly Keith!" Lance exclaimed in the back of the pod. "One would think that not taking care of yourself is a hobby of yours!"_

_Keith huffed and crossed his arms._

" _I just don't see the point in it!" Keith explained. "It's a waste of time and money."_

" _Yeah, but we're in Space now." Lance said, folding his arms as well. "You train every day and stink yourself up."_

" _I do shower!" Keith protested._

" _Yeah, but the damage to your hair remains! It needs proper nourishment and moisturising. Your mullet is ugly enough without split ends!"_

" _Would you two give it a break already!?" Pidge cried from the shotgun seat. "Seriously! You two sound just like an old married couple!"_

_Keith and Lance spluttered indignantly and failed to conceal their blushes. The other occupants in the back snickered._

" _Shut up." Keith growled at Shiro and Hunk, who held up their hands defensively._

_The rest of the trip was made in awkward silence. Lance kept his head ducked down the entire time and refused to look up at anyone. As soon as the pod landed, he leapt out and waited for Keith to disembark. The two of them raced off before anyone else could say something._

" _Do we really have to do this?" Keith asked Lance, who was leading the Red Paladin towards his favourite healthcare store._

" _Yes." Lance replied with a deadpan expression. "If I'm going to be partnered up with you during training, I would much rather_ not _have a mullet filled with split ends in my face."_

" _I do not have split ends." Keith grumbled quietly but made no other protests; as much as he thought Lance was lazy and annoying, he had to admit that, once the Cuban's mind was set on something, he would stop at nothing to complete his task._

_When they entered the store, they were immediately greeted by a pink alien with sparkling purple eyes and a wide smile._

" _Lance!" She exclaimed happily. "It's great to see you again! I honestly was not expecting to see you back here so soon!"_

" _It's great to see you too Lila!" Lance smiled back. Keith was surprised when he saw that the smile was friendly rather than flirty. "I'm not here for my usuals yet. My friend here is_ very _negligent towards his hair and it_ needs _some urgent TLC."_

_Lila leaned forwards to inspect Keith's hair (a little too closely for his taste) and gasped._

" _I see what you mean!" She gushed, shock and horror plastering her face. "Follow me! I know exactly what he needs!"_

" _Must I?" Keith groaned. "I don't want to have to waste a varga of my life watching Lance flirt with a girl."_

_Lila and Lance glanced at each other and then back at Keith before bursting into a fit of giggles._

" _Keith, buddy, my main man," Lance panted, throwing an arm around the other's shoulders. "Lila is married to one hulk of a guy. She's just a friend who is as enthusiastic about cosmetics as I am. I'm also one of her most regular customers. No need to get jealous..."_

_Keith blushed when Lance grinned teasingly at him._

" _I'm not jealous!" Keith exclaimed. "It just hurts me every time I hear one of your painful pick-up lines."_

" _Ouch! Dude!" Lance gasped, throwing his hands up to his heart. "Way to shoot a guy down!"_

 _Lila laughed at the interaction between her two customers. Honestly, she thought that the two of them made a really cute couple! However, she also respected her customers' privacy and decided to keep her opinions to herself. After all, love_ always _finds a way. It only took them about five dobashes to find a set of shampoo and conditioner that Keith admitted (albeit grudgingly) smelled 'alright'. The scent was dominated by cinnamon, which Lance thought was very attractive._

_WHEN GIRLS WEAR IT! HE IN NO WAY FOUND KEITH ATTRACTIVE! LIKE AT ALL!_

_After Keith used the products for the first time, he had to admit that his hair_ did _feel softer and lighter, and therefore more comfortable. The other Paladins complimented the scent very much, making Keith feel even more confident about using the products._

_He couldn't even feel mad when Lance gave him the 'I-told-you-so' grin. He merely rolled his eyes and smiled back._

* * *

_It feels like yesterday, even though it had happened ages ago._ Keith mused as he thoroughly dried himself.

His Earth clothes were still in the wash somewhere (even though they had been put in MONTHS ago) so Keith had to make do with some of the Altean clothes in his drawers. The only clothes he could find were a large red jumper and a pair of loose black lounging trousers. The trousers were a perfect length when he put his boots on, but it did feel weird not wearing trousers that stuck to his legs for once. He had to admit that it did feel...nice. The jumper was also quite loose. It fell past his waist and he had to roll up the ends of the sleeves. Keith had never considered wearing a cowl neck jumper before, but he found that it didn't look all that bad!

Now dressed, Keith made his way to the kitchen. He found Hunk tottering about the place.

"Morning Keith." He said, not looking at the Red Paladin.

"Morning Hunk." Keith replied, wide eyes travelling over the amount of food being prepared. "That's...a lot of food..."

"I'm cooking all of Lance's favourites." Hunk explained. "He wasn't able to eat yesterday, and he's bound to be starving today!"

"I'm sure he'll love it." Keith said as he filled a bowl with food goo. He decided to leave Hunk to cook since he tended to get rather oblivious while focusing on his task. He carried his breakfast to the main hall to find Pidge, Shiro, Matt and Allura already sat down with their own bowls of goo.

"Good morning Sleepy Head." Shiro greeted him with a cheeky smile.

Pidge's eyes widened to the size of saucers when she saw Keith's attire.

"What the heck are you wearing!?" She asked (more like screeched).

"My clothes are still lost in the wash somewhere; this was all there were in my draws." Keith explained as he sat down.

"Sorry." Matt apologised, also balking at Keith. "You just look...weird. It's odd seeing you wearing something...loose and relaxing."

"You can talk!" Keith snickered, gesturing to Matt's curly hair. "Have you sent in your application for the circus yet?"

Pidge began to giggle, which developed into a laughing fit. Shiro chortled and choked on his food goo while Allura giggled softly behind her hand. Matt blushed profusely and waved his hands up in defence.

"Low blow man! I didn't ask to be stung by a load of meat-eating bugs and get injected with a load of androgens!"

"Lance is going to love this!" Pidge heaved in breath and wiped tears from her eyes. "Coran is just checking on him now. He'll call us in when Lance is strong enough to have visitors."

Breakfast continued calmly after that. Pidge and Matt shared their experience on Kardiatistaxis and with the Furians. Allura then told them of her adventure on Hijantartatavat with Florea and Geofornya. She decided to leave out Blue's memories of Lance's insecurities since she believed that they weren't her experiences to share. She would speak to Lance about his lack of confidence in his place on the team, but he would tell everyone else in his own time.

"Geofornya is also willing to join the Voltron Coalition." Allura stated at the end. "I do look forward to returning! And I think Lance would like it there as well."

"I really hope he doesn't go off flirting!" Pidge groaned with a disgusted expression.

"Well, if Keith confesses, then I don't think that will happen." Matt said, grinning at Keith.

"You are going to tell him, aren't you?" Shiro asked his younger brother.

"O-of course I am!" Keith spluttered, blushing and crossing his arms. "In my own time. I just want to wait until he's recovered a bit first."

"Uh huh." Shiro nodded sceptically.

"I will!" Keith insisted. "I just don't want him to be too overwhelmed! Don't forget; everyone else will be coddling him."

"We won't coddle him!" Pidge protested. "I'll shock him with my Bayard for terrifying the s**t out of me!"

"Language." Shiro scolded her sharply. "One gac in the swear jar."

"It was so worth it!"

" _Paladins! Lance is ready for you now!"_ Coran's voice chipped in over the speakers.

Chairs were flung back with piercing scrapes and some fell over. None of the Paladins cared though; they all raced off towards the infirmary with Keith in the lead. Hunk joined them at the junction, his apron covered with ingredients. He must have dropped everything to start running towards the infirmary.

The group piled in through the door and sighed in relief when they saw Lance sat up in bed. The mice were sat in his lap, squeaking excitedly and jumping up and down. Lance laughed; it wasn't as loud or smooth as usual, but it sounded somewhat healthy. The black vines were no more. He was still slightly pale, but his eyes were sparkling and he even had a smile on his face.

"Hey guys!" He waved when he saw the team rush in. "Miss me?"

Pidge and Hunk flew towards the bed. Pidge leapt up and hugged Lance tightly around the chest while Hunk wrapped his arms around both of them and held them to his chest.

"You scared us, you jerk!" Pidge yelled into the Cuban's chest.

"I'm sorry." Lance apologised sincerely. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's alright." Hunk insisted. "You're fine now; that's all that matters."

"Yup!" Coran chirped, rubbing the end of his moustache. "He'll be fit as a trombone in no time!"

"It's 'fit as a fiddle'." Hunk kindly corrected the medic.

"I'd rather be a trombone than a fiddle, to be honest." Lance said. "They're way cooler!"

"He'll need to stay in bed for a couple more quintaints," Coran continued, consulting his medical data on the Blue Paladin. Hunk and Pidge released Lance. "He still has a slight fever, but his digestion system has now settled enough for him to consume food."

"Thank goodness!" Lance exclaimed, his arms shooting into the air. "I'm done being starved! Hunk, my buddy, mi amigo, please tell you've got something tasty on today's menu."

"I am preparing all of your favourites!" Hunk replied. "I should probably get along with them though! See you later buddy."

Hunk left swiftly and Lance turned his attention to everyone else.

"Hey! Who let the clown in here?" Lance asked, grinning at Matt.

"Oh, ha ha." Matt droned. "It wasn't my fault, okay? I got stung by a load of bugs and they injected androgens into me!"

"I'm working on a suit of armour for Matt." Pidge chipped in while straightening her glasses. "If bugs are after him, then he's going to be targeted by everything else in the Universe too."

"I thought he already was!" Lance mused. "I once met a group of girls who asked if I could 'hook them up with that hot and steamy red-head'."

Pidge broke out into laughter again.

"What is this?" Matt pouted. "Pick On Matt Day?"

"I'm currently out for the count," Lance smiled sweetly. "So you're going to have to take my place as the goofball."

"You just admitted that you were a goofball!" Pidge yelled. Her finger poked Lance in the chest. "Ha! Now Matt owes me five gac!"

"How nice." Shiro commented. "Perhaps you should go put one of those into the swear jar now."

Pidge's face fell while a nosy grin spread over Lance's chin.

"Swear jar, huh?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

"Shut up." Pidge grumbled as she pushed herself off the bed. "And - seriously - if you ever scare me like that, ever again, then I'll shock you with my Bayard."

Lance gulped audibly and saluted the youngest Paladin.

"Consider yourself 'not scared like that ever again'!"

"I'll see you later." Pidge smiled. "Come on Matt. Let's get started your armour."

"We are relieved to see you well again." Allura said after the Holts had left. "Blue has been worried sick about you!"

"I know." Lance winced. "She's been surrounding he ever since I woke up. Red has too. They're both going to be overprotective of me for quite a while."

"I'm sure they'll love to see you once your strength is replenished." Allura smiled. "But for now, you need hydration. I doubt that Hunk will be finished anytime soon. I'd better bring you some breakfast."

Allura looked at the mice in Lance's lap.

"Do you guys want to help?" She asked them.

The mice began to chirp in a way that sounded like they wanted to stay where they were, but they froze as if they were hearing something else. Then then suddenly agreed to help and leapt into Allura's waiting hands.

"We'll be as quick as we can." Allura said as she left the infirmary.

"And I should run some system checks on the Lions." Coran piped up. "They've been through some ordeals! I'll be back in a jiffy Number Three!"

With that, Coran pranced from the infirmary to the hangars. Now, only Keith and Shiro were left.

"It's nice to see you again buddy." Shiro said as he his human hand on Lance's shoulder.

"You too." Lance replied. "I heard that you all went off to find the antidote. Is everyone alright?"

"No one was hurt." Shiro assured the Cuban. "Well, except Matt. That is if you count bug stings as an injury."

Lance huffed out a laugh: "Not really. His curls look to glorious. What about all of those planets you went to?"

"I think those stories are better off left until dinner," Shiro decided. "When everyone is present. Speaking of which, I had better go and check in with Kolivan. I'll come see you later."

Now there were two. Lance and Keith. Keith suspected that everyone had just bailed out to leave the two of them alone on purpose. He glared at Shiro's back the whole time he was walking away until he rounded the corner and disappeared from view. He looked back at Lance and rubbed his arm uncomfortably.

"Uh...hey." He mumbled.

"Hey." Lance mumbled back, blushing slightly. It was a miniscule change since his cheeks were still slightly red from his moderate fever. "So...are you okay?"

"Good I guess." Keith replied as he sat in the chair next to the bed. "Been better though."

"You look good." Lance blurted out suddenly. "Well! I mean well. You look well. Not that you don't look good. I mean, cowl necks really suit you!"

Keith blushed at Lance's outburst and smiled shyly.

"Thanks. My clothes are still lost in the wash system somewhere. I'll have to look for them at some point."

"I could help." Lance offered. "Once I'm better, I mean."

"I would like that." Keith admitted.

The two fell into an awkward silence. Neither of them looked at each other until Lance spoke up.

"It's weird." He said. "Us being friends, I mean. Back at the Garrison, I didn't think that it was possible for us to be friends."

Keith's stomach churned with guilt as he remembered how hostile he had been towards Lance.

"Well," He mumbled. "I wasn't trying to be unfriendly. I was just...nervous, I suppose."

"Why?"

"Well," Keith said quietly. "Lots of people said that they wanted to be my friend at the Garrison. In reality they didn't want to be my friend; they just wanted to get closer to Shiro."

Lance's eyes sparkled with understanding.

"Everyone knew that Shiro was your hero." Keith continued. "I thought that you wanted to use me as well."

"I didn't." Lance insisted. "I wanted to be your friend because you looked lonely. I didn't even know that you knew Shiro until the night we rescued him."

"I know that now, but I didn't know that then. I acted horribly back then. I completely ignored you. Maybe if I had talked to you, then I would have seen that you were different."

"It's not your fault." Lance assured Keith sheepishly. "Maybe I came off too strongly; I have a habit of doing that. You started to ignore me, so I decided that you were some arrogant jerk and marked you as my rival without trying to het to know or understand you. That was wrong of me."

"And it was wrong of me to push you away. I wasted so much time, and-"

"It doesn't matter now." Lance asserted. "We're actually getting along now!"

"Yeah." Keith smiled. "We are. I learned to survive by blocking out everyone except Shiro, and I carried that instinct over to Voltron."

"But, of course, I was your only exception." Lance grinned knowingly.

Keith froze. A chill of fear spiked through his body as his mind comprehended the meaning of Lance's words.

"W-w-what?" He faltered.

"I heard you singing." Lance said. His smile was now gentle. "Before you left. I felt you kissing my forehead as well."

Keith's heart began to beat faster. A light flush blossomed over his cheeks.

"You admitted that you love me."

 _Damn him!_ Keith growled in his mind. _How can he say that with a straight face!?_

Keith inhaled and exhaled deeply, steeling his mind to say the words he had been meaning to say for a long time now. He had to say it now, otherwise he would never say them at all!

"I..." Keith mumbled. He then rolled his shoulders and spoke more firmly. "I do."

Lance's cheeks now reddened slightly at the proclamation. His eyes widened as well. Was he serious?

"I love you." Keith said with more confidence. "I have for a really long time."

"R-really?" Lance asked, trying to keep his hope masked. "Since when?"

"I don't really know." Keith confessed. "It just suddenly sprung up! I guess I first noticed it when we were on that rain planet."

Lance's eyes sparkled as he recalled the memory. A sad and nostalgic smile appeared on his face.

"We landed the Castle." Keith reminisced. "Your face lit up when you heard the rain hitting the window. You asked what it was and Allura scanned the atmosphere. As soon as she told you it was plain water, you leapt out of your chair and raced off towards the main doors. We followed you. We found your jacket laying in the hallway. You didn't even go to your room to get your coat and boots! You just ran straight outside. We stood in the doorway and watched you jumping around in the puddles, laughing and whooping. You looked so happy, and that made us happy."

A tear rolled down Lance's cheek as he realised how much he missed the rain now.

"We left you out there for about a varga." Keith continued. "Then we had to get you to come inside before you got ill. I was sent out with an umbrella to lure you back inside. You were just stood there with your eyes closed and face turned up to the sky. You looked to calm and blissful. I felt compelled to just let you bask in the rain for longer, but I also didn't want you to get ill. When I told you we had to go back inside, you pouted adorably at me. I melted. I can't believe you managed to convince me to give you ten more dobashes!"

"I still can't believe I managed to convince you to jump in some puddles!" Lance chuckled. "You were so cautious! You jumped in the first one weakly - you practically walked into it! I had to show you how to jump in them properly. You got mad when I splashed mud over your trousers."

"I wasn't actually mad. I was just so happy. Your eyes sparkled with joy. I decided there and then that I wanted to see that sparkle more often. That was when I realised that I was in love with you."

Lance and Keith stared into each other's eyes silently. Lance slowly raised a hand and brushed it against Keith's cheek. He then placed a palm over it and rubbed his thumb over the smooth skin.

"I've loved you for a long time too." Lance confessed.

Keith's breath stuttered, but he didn't say anything. His eyes gently compelled Lance to continue.

"As cheesy as it sounds, I've loved you ever since I laid eyes on you." Lance sighed contentedly. "Most of the other cadets had described you as 'cold' 'dedicated', but, when I caught a glimpse of your eyes, I saw fire and passion. There was just something about you that drew me to you. I wasn't sure what it was, and I thought that my attraction to you would fade. But it never did. I remember laying up late one night, thinking about how awesome you had looked in the Simulator. I could remember the way you chewed you bottom lip in concentration. You tended to tap the controls with your finger when you were irritated. I realised that I had never noticed such small details about anyone outside of my family before! If I was noticing these things about you, then it could have only meant one thing. I sat up so quickly that I startled Hunk! I remember telling him: 'I think I'm in love with Keith Kogane'."

"'Think'?" Keith inquired.

"Give me a break!" Lance blushed. "I'd never been in love before!"

This caught Keith off guard. He thought that Lance would have been in love quite a few times before coming to the Garrison! Apparently not!

"Never?" Keith repeated. He had to be certain.

"Never ever." Lance promised. "You're my first and only."

Keith's heart began to beat faster. Lance loved him. Lance had _only_ every loved him! The thought brought tears of joy to Keith's eyes. The sudden glimmers in Keith's eyes startled Lance.

"Woah! Are you okay?" He asked. His concern grew when tears fell down Keith's face. Keith, on the other hand, smiled.

"I'm just so happy!" He gasped. "I...I never thought that I would ever..."

Keith's breath stuttered as he began to cry. Lance brought up both of his hands to wipe away his beloved's tears.

"Don't cry Keith!" He begged.

"Sorry." Keith sniffled. "Gosh! I've never been this emotional before!"

"I know." Lance grinned. "I like this side of you."

"Really?"

"Yeah. But I still love 'fiery-passionate-emo-Keith' just as much."

"Shut up!" Keith laughed and lightly punched Lance in the shoulder.

The two laughed for a while. Keith's eyes dried and he wiped away his tear stains. He brought up a hand to one of Lance's, which was still on his cheek. Lance's hand felt soft against his calloused one. It was a nice contrast. Keith couldn't help but lean in closer, feeling a pull from Lance's eyes. When the two of them were almost touching noses, he stopped. Keith could smell Lance's distinct scent of the sea and garlic. It was an odd combination, but Keith found it to be a perfect fit for Lance. Keith's scent consisted of cinnamon and wood-chippings. Lance suspected that it may be pine wood, but he wasn't entirely sure.

"Can I...?" Lance whispered, his breath tickling Keith's lips.

Keith's head inclined slightly. No words were needed. They both leaned in slowly, their eyes drooping shut.

Then their lips touched.

Lance's lips were soft while Keith's were slightly chapped. The kiss was soft and gentle. It was a shy first-time, checking each other's limits. They pulled away after only a few ticks. Light flushes adorned their cheeks.

"Woah." Keith gasped. "That felt..."

"Yeah..." Lance agreed just as quietly. "Can we...kiss again?"

Again, Keith didn't answer verbally. He slid his hands into Lance's soft, brown hair and placed his lips over Lance's again. Lance's hand stayed on Keith's cheek while the other rested hesitantly on his back. The kiss was slightly harder, filled with passion and longing. It was still shy, but more confident.

When they separated again, Lance laughed.

"I don't think we can keep on claiming to be friends anymore." He chuckled.

"No." Keith agreed with a smile. "I suppose this means that I'll have to call you my boyfriend now."

"Just as long as Shiro doesn't put me through a load of tests to make sure I'm worthy of you." Lance joked. "He could snap me like a twig if he wanted to."

"So could I." Keith reminded the Cuban.

"Oh yeah." Lance gulped.

"I won't." Keith assured him. "However..."

Keith drew back a hand and hit Lance in the arm. Hard.

"Ow!" Lance whined. "What was that for?"

"That was for getting yourself injured!" Keith exclaimed. "I was so worried about you! You could have died! You _did_ die! I thought I'd lost you! I thought..."

Lance hugged Keith close to him.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. "I'm sorry I worried you and everyone else."

Keith sniffled into Lance's chest.

"I'm not sorry for jumping in front of that dagger though." Lance admitted. "I'm not sorry for saving your life."

"You were poisoned Lance!" Keith reminded his boyfriend. "You could have died!"

"I still would have taken that blow," Lance said. "Even if I knew what would have happened. You're worth it Keith."

"I'm not." Keith protested. "I'm not worth you almost dying."

"It's part of the contract, I'm afraid." Lance chuckled. "When you agree to be my boyfriend, you'll have to put up with my possessiveness and protectiveness."

"I bet I can be a more protective and possessive boyfriend than you!" Keith grinned.

"Oh yeah?" Lance retorted. "I'm definitely more possessive and protective than you! And more loving at that!"

"Oh shut up!"

Keith kissed him again. He shut up.

* * *

Dinner that evening was served in the infirmary. A large table had been brought in so that they could all eat with Lance. Pidge settled herself on the end of Lance's bed while Keith sat further near the head. Everyone could tell what had happened while they were alone and the couple knew it. Thankfully, no one brought it up. Lance instead begged everyone to tell them about their journeys.

"You went to such extremes for me?" Lance gasped dramatically. "I'm so flattered!"

Kolivan arrived after dinner. He reported that some of the Blades had been injured during their battle against the Galra, but none had been lost. He also expressed his (not so obvious) delight to see the Blue Paladin well again.

"It's relieving to know that Voltron is still strong." He'd said. "And I'm also sure that you and Keith have had a little...chat."

Keith and Lance nodded in confirmation. There were no blushes.

"When will I have to return to the Blades?" Keith asked.

An overwhelming sadness washed over Lance when he remembered that Keith would have to leave to continue his Blade training. He couldn't bare the thought of not seeing Keith for weeks on end, but he knew that his boyfriend's training was important to him.

"About that..." Kolivan replied hesitantly. "I have decided that it would be better for you to remain here with Voltron."

"What?" Keith gasped.

"Why?" Lance asked. "Not that I'm complaining, of course."

"It has something to do with your...Galra side." Kolivan explained to Keith. "Galra are monogamous; they will only have one mate throughout their entire life. Once a Galra is mated, the two partners are bonded forever. This comes with some side effects."

"Such as?" Keith inquired warily.

"There will be an instinctive desire to please, protect and be near your mate." Kolivan continued. "You would not be able to survive more than a few quintaints away from the Blue Paladin. Some Galra have gone insane due to prolonged separation from their mates, and some have even taken their own lives after losing their mates."

Keith shivered as he recalled how much he had wanted to take his own life after thinking Lance was dead. He said nothing though; no point in making Lance worry about it now. He was fine.

"So," Kolivan concluded. "I you were to return with us to the Blades, then the Blue Paladin would have to come with us. But he is needed here with Voltron, so I have decided that you should stay here with him."

"I could return with you." Lance told Keith. Keith stared at him as if he had grown another head! "I'm serious! Red could be willing to take Matt as her Paladin and I could return with you to the Blades so that you can continue your training and-"

"No." Keith said firmly. Lance opened his mouth to protest, but Keith was faster. "NO, Lance. I left Voltron once, and it didn't feel right. Yes, my Blade training is important, but not as important as you. Besides, I could always catch up with training whenever the Blades visit to update information."

"But what about finding your mother?" Lance asked. "I know you've been looking for her while you were with the Blades."

"You guys are my family." Keith insisted. "Yes, I would like to find my mother, but I can do that from here as well. You guys can help me; I'll probably find her faster that way!"

Keith turned back to Kolivan confidently.

"I'm going to stay here with Voltron," Keith announced. His tone was final. "And Lance."

"Very well." Kolivan conceded. "I'm afraid I can't say that I'll miss your recklessness and stubbornness."

"That's just Keith being Keith." Lance said.

"I should be leaving now." Kolivan informed the couple. "I wish both of you luck."

And with that, the Blades leader left.

"Are you sure you're happy with this?" Lance asked.

"Positive." Keith replied, settling himself on the bed. "You and Voltron are my priority."

"It's been weird without you." Lance admitted. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too." Keith said as he laid down facing Lance. He took extra care not to pull out Lance's blood tube or knock his stomach wound. Coran had begun to use some Altean cream to speed up the healing process.

"Maybe you could be Red's pilot again." Lance mused. "Don't get me wrong - she's amazing! But it's weird. I'm not really Shiro's right hand man. I adore him too much as a fan to be an efficient co-leader. You're his right-hand man-"

Lance took Keith's right hand in his.

"And I'm yours." He finished.

"That's something we can worry about later." Keith said. "For now, I just want to focus on us. We have wasted about a year dancing around each other and I want cuddles."

"Never would have taken you for the cuddly type." Lance grinned as Keith snuggled into his chest.

"Never would have taken you for the mullet type either." Keith grinned back cheekily. "If you ask nicely, I may give you a trim."

"Maybe, mi amor." Lance mumbled tiredly. "Maybe..."

And for the first time out of many more, Lance and Keith slept peacefully in each other's arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it! We're done! My first Klance fic is done! I'm kind of rubbish at writing romance, so I'm sorry if this wasn't as good as you were expecting.  
> I have also been considering uploading my stories onto DeviantArt as well. What do you guys think of that? Let me know!
> 
> Voltron: But what about who ends up piloting which Lion?  
> Warryn: AIN'T NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT! Let's just say that Voltron will run smoothly now that I've configured it to run on KLANCE LOVE!  
> Keith: WTF?  
> Lance: So now I can snog Keith as much as I want?  
> Warryn: (gleaming-star anime eyes(those spiky yellow ones)) Yes.  
> Shiro: No.
> 
> Translations:  
> Mi amigo - My friend  
> Mi amor - My love


End file.
